Pipits
The American Pipit, a slender brown bird about the size of a sparrow
stands about seven inches tall as an adult and prefers to live in open
country. Its crown, chest and back show a brown color with dark streaks
and its legs are normally black. The Pipits beak is slim and narrow and
the ring around its eye is white. The bird has a white throat with dark
stripes. Their tail is dark with the feathers on the outer edges colored
white. Both sexes are similar in color and markings. The American Pipit
when on the ground usually walks and bobs its tail. When the male is in
an amorous mood and wants to attract a female Pipit he flies repeatedly
from 50 to 200 feet high. He then soars downward singing his courtship
song. His legs are straight out and he holds his tail upright. After
mating the female Pipit lays four to five eggs. The eggs have brown
spots and striped with black marks. The incubation period for Pipits is
about two weeks. About two weeks after birth the young Pipits fledge.
The birds have only one brood each year.
» 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 (plowed fields, shores, tundra)
» Length: 5.5 inches
» Slender bill
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