The Peruvian pipit is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae native to Chile and Peru.
Region
Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile
Typical Environment
Occupies arid coastal plains, dunes, and lomas (fog-fed hills) along the Pacific slope. Also uses open river valleys, pastures, and agricultural edges where vegetation is sparse. Prefers bare or short-grass ground with scattered shrubs, avoiding dense cover. Nests on the ground in concealed spots among grasses or low vegetation.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A slim, ground-dwelling pipit of the arid Pacific slope, it often runs rather than hops and frequently pumps its tail. Males perform brief song-flights over open ground during the breeding season. It can be confused with other South American pipits but is typically paler and favors coastal deserts and lomas habitats in Peru and northern Chile.
Temperament
wary and terrestrial
Flight Pattern
low, undulating flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs while foraging; small loose groups may form outside the breeding season. Monogamous pairs nest on the ground, lining a small cup with fine grasses. Both adults are attentive near the nest and use distraction displays if threatened.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A thin, tinkling series of high notes often delivered during a brief song-flight, interspersed with buzzy phrases. Calls include a sharp tsip or seep given in flight and while foraging.
Plumage
Sandy-brown to brown upperparts with dark streaking; buff to whitish underparts with fine breast streaks. Pale, noticeable supercilium and white outer tail feathers; overall slim and long-tailed appearance.
Diet
Primarily consumes small insects and other arthropods such as beetles, ants, flies, and caterpillars. Occasionally takes small seeds, especially in the dry season when invertebrates are scarce. Forages by walking and picking prey from the ground or low vegetation, sometimes making short dashes to seize moving insects.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on open, sparsely vegetated ground including dunes, short-grass patches, field margins, and stony flats. Also uses lomas slopes and riverine terraces where leaf litter and low herbs harbor invertebrates.
