The tawny pipit is a medium-large passerine bird which breeds in much of the central Palearctic from northwest Africa and Portugal to Central Siberia and on to Inner Mongolia. It is a migrant moving in winter to tropical Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.
Region
Central Palearctic (NW Africa, Iberia to Central Asia and Inner Mongolia)
Typical Environment
Breeds in open, dry country such as steppe, semi-desert, dunes, sandy fallows, and sparsely vegetated grasslands. Prefers areas with scattered low shrubs or tussocks and extensive bare ground for foraging. Avoids dense vegetation and closed forests. Winters mainly in the Sahel and savanna zones of tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian Subcontinent, using similarly open habitats.
Altitude Range
0–2500 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A sandy-toned, long-legged pipit of open, dry habitats, it often runs rather than hops and frequently fans its tail to reveal white outer feathers. Its song is a simple, repeated phrase delivered from a brief, fluttering song-flight. Tawny pipits can be tricky to separate from other pipits; note the pale supercilium, relatively plain mantle, and long, pointed bill. They breed across the central Palearctic and winter in tropical Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.
Anthus campestris MHNT
A. c. griseus overwintering in India
Temperament
wary and terrestrial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low undulating flights
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs during the breeding season; loosely gregarious outside it. Nests on the ground in a shallow scrape lined with fine vegetation, often tucked against a tuft of grass. Generally monogamous, with both parents feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a simple, ringing series of repeated notes, often rendered as a clear 'twee-chiu' or 'tsip-tsip' given from a brief, fluttering song-flight. Calls include a sharp 'tchik' or 'tsip' given in flight or when alarmed.
