Wagtails and pipits · Perching birds
Tawny Pipit
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Anthus campestris
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Voice
Call
Call
How to recognize it
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16 cm, smaller than a skylark
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Sandy brown above, pale below
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Sparse streaking; plain-looking on the ground
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Strong, direct flight; call "schip"
About the species
On open ground, the tawny pipit often looks plain at first glance, with sandy brown upperparts and a pale underside. It moves with strong, direct flight, then drops to the ground and keeps going in short, purposeful steps.
It is usually quiet except for a sharp "schip" call, and its song is a short, repeated "chir-ree chir-ree". During display flight, it sings while rising and falling over the same area. It nests on the ground, tucked into vegetation.
It uses dry, open country such as semi-deserts, steppes, and other warm, open landscapes. It eats insects, and in winter it leaves much of its breeding range for tropical Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Where to find
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On dry vacant lots, sandy embankments, and scrubby open patches — on the ground, it gives itself away by short dashes and quick flushes from the grass.
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Along the edges of construction sites, rail corridors, and rough lawns with bare soil, where it stays low and hunts insects.
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On dry spoil heaps, in steppe-like corners of large parks, and on weedy city outskirts — most noticeable when it lifts into a wavering display flight with a short song.
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Near footpaths on open ground, it often lands briefly on the soil before slipping back into cover.
