Buffy pipit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buffy pipit |
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| At Mountain Zebra NP, South Africa | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Anthus
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| Species: |
vaalensis
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The buffy pipit (Anthus vaalensis) is a small bird that belongs to the wagtail and pipit family, called Motacillidae. You can find it in the open plains and grasslands of southern and eastern Africa. Experts from the IUCN Red List say this bird is doing well. They have listed it as a species of least concern, meaning it's not currently in danger.
Contents
What is a Buffy Pipit?
The buffy pipit is a type of bird. It lives in wide-open areas. These areas include grasslands and plains. It is found in many countries across southern and eastern Africa.
How Scientists Name Birds
A famous English scientist named George Ernest Shelley first described this bird in 1900. Scientists use special names for animals. This helps everyone know exactly which animal they are talking about. The buffy pipit's scientific name is Anthus vaalensis.
Different Types of Buffy Pipits
The IOC World Bird List recognizes five different types, or subspecies, of the buffy pipit. These subspecies are found in various parts of Africa. They include A. v. chobiensis, A. v. neumanni, A. v. namibicus, A. v. exasperatus, and A. v. vaalensis. Each subspecies lives in a specific region.
What Does a Buffy Pipit Look Like?
Buffy pipits are about 16 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) long. They weigh between 23 and 36.6 grams (0.8 to 1.3 ounces). They can sometimes be mistaken for another bird, the plain-backed pipit. This is because both birds have plain feathers on their backs.
Identifying a Buffy Pipit
The buffy pipit has lighter, more buff-colored feathers on its upper body. It also has a pale stripe above its eye, called a supercilium. The lower part of its beak is often pinkish at the base. You might see faint marks on its chest. Its belly and sides are a buffy color. Young buffy pipits have mottled, or spotted, feathers.
Where Do Buffy Pipits Live?
Buffy pipits live in many African countries. These include Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Their total living area is very large. It covers about 5.66 million square kilometers (2.18 million square miles).
Their Favorite Places to Live
These birds prefer dry, open plains. They like areas with lots of grass and some bare ground. You can also find them in other places. These include pastures, fields that have been burned, and the edges of saltpans.
How Do Buffy Pipits Behave?
You usually see buffy pipits alone or in pairs. Sometimes, in winter, they might gather in small groups. They often wag their tails. This is a common behavior for them.
Sounds and Food
The buffy pipit has a unique song. It sounds like a repeated tchreep-churup. When the bird is startled and flies away, it makes a sshik call. Buffy pipits eat small creatures without backbones, like insects. They also eat seeds.
Nesting and Young
Buffy pipits lay their eggs in a nest built on the ground. The nest is shaped like an open cup. In Zimbabwe, they breed from July to February. In South Africa, their breeding season is from August to December.
Is the Buffy Pipit in Danger?
The exact number of buffy pipits in the world is not known. However, their population seems to be growing. They also live across a very large area. Because of this, the IUCN Red List has listed the buffy pipit as a species of least concern. This means they are not currently at risk of disappearing.
