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Tawny Pipit
(Anthus campestris)
German name(s): "Brachpieper"
Size: 15.5-18 cm; wing span 25-28 cm
Weight: 16-30 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Tawny Pipits are a medium-sized member of the genus Anthus. Their
plumage is highly
cryptic. Both
sexes look alike.
Except for a pale-tawny chest, which can be lightly streaked, the
rest of the front is creamy to off-white.
The head is streaked on top and has the typical pattern of a dark
fringe around the ear coverts combining with an eye-stripe, above
which there is a prominent light supercilium, and a dark moustachial
stripe.
Their characteristic feature is a dark loral stripe running from
each eye to the base of the bill that is less pronounced or absent
in other species of pipit.
The back is almost unmarked greyish-brown, while the wing feathers
are dark, with conspicuous tawny outer edges on the coverts.
The irises are dark-brown. The upper mandible and the tip of the
lower mandible are dark-grey, the rest of the lower mandible is
horn-coloured. Lets and feet are pinkish-grey to orange-grey.
Juveniles
are more streaked on chest and upperparts than
adults.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Tawny
Pipit at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Tawny Pipit is available
HERE
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Tawny Pipits are a migratory species with a range extending
from western Europe in the West to central Asia in the East
and from tropical Africa and the Indian subcontinent in the
South to ca. 55 degrees latitude in the North.
Their breeding grounds are located in north-western Africa,
much of Europe (except the British Isles, Scandinavia and
north-western Russia), Asia Minor, parts of the Middle East
and western to central Asia.
They overwinter in sub-Saharan Africa, most of Arabia and
much of the Indian subcontinent (except the eastern parts).
During their migration they can potentially be found between
breeding areas and winter grounds.
In Europe Tawny Pipits are summer breeding migrants.
They are found mostly around the Mediterranean, in large parts
of Iberia (except the north-western corner), southern France,
Italy, the Karst of the eastern Adriatic and in Greece. They
are also present on all Mediterranean islands. They are found
only in small areas of central Europe and are more prominent
in eastern and south-eastern Europe, from Poland and the Baltic
States to Ukraine and the Caucasus.
During the breeding season Tawny Pipits have a preference for
semi-arid to arid open country, sand dunes, barren mountain
slopes (and gravel pits).
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports spotting a Tawny Pipit
in Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, in October 2018.
D. Wilczynska reports finding Tawny Pipits near Malkinia, Masovia,
Poland, in June 2019.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Tawny Pipit; note the characteristic dark
loral stripe
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2018]
Lateral view of a Tawny Pipit; this is the bird whose
calls
were recorded on 24 June 2019
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2019]
Lateral view of a Tawny Pipit on a sandy beach
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2018]
Lateral view of a Tawny Pipit
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2018]
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Tawny Pipit sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.