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American pipit (Anthus rubescens)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

  • Length: 5.5 inches

  • Slender bill

  • White eye ring and supercilium

  • White throat with dark malar streak

  • Brownish-olive upperparts with fine black streaks on back

  • Wings blackish with broad buffy edges

  • Buffy underparts with dark streaking across breast and onto flanks

  • Black tail with white outer tail feathers

  • Dark legs

  • In spring and summer, less heavily streaked below and upperparts            grayer

  • Sexes similar

  • Wags its tail

  • Often found in flocks on the ground in sparsely vegetated areas (plow-           ed fields, shores, tundra

Similar species:

The American pipit is similar to the Sprague's pipit but the Sprague's
pipit has much less streaking on the underparts, more streaking on the
back, a paler face, and pink legs. The rare red-throated pipit (breeds in
Alaska and rare migrant in California) has a different call and pink legs.
Sparrows and longspurs can be found in similar habitats but have thick,
conical bills.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Short distance migrant
Breeding Habitat: N/A
Nest Location: Ground-low nesting
Nest Type: Open-cup
Clutch Size: 4-6
Length of Incubation: 13-15 days
Days to Fledge: 13-15
Number of Broods: 1
Diet: Primarily insects; lesser quantities of seeds

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May
      Su - Summer: June, July, August
      Fall: September, October, November
U

      Winter: December, January, February U

 

 

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