Tawny pipit facts for kids
The tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) is a medium-sized bird. It is a type of passerine bird, which means it's a perching bird. These birds live in many parts of the world. They are found from northwest Africa all the way to Central Siberia. You can also find them in Inner Mongolia.
Quick facts for kids Tawny pipit |
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| A. c. griseus overwintering in India | |
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| Range of A. campestris Breeding Passage Non-breeding | |
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Tawny pipits are migratory birds. This means they travel long distances. In winter, they fly to warmer places. They go to tropical Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Their scientific name, Anthus campestris, comes from Latin. Anthus means a small grassland bird. Campestris means "of the fields."
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About the Tawny Pipit
This pipit is about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long. Its wingspan is about 25–28 centimetres (9.8–11.0 in). It looks quite plain on the ground. It is mostly sandy brown on its back. Its belly is a pale color.
How to Identify It
The tawny pipit looks a lot like Richard's pipit. But the tawny pipit is a bit smaller. It has shorter wings, tail, and legs. Its dark beak is also narrower. It has fewer streaks on its body.
Flight and Sounds
Its flight is strong and flies straight. It makes a special "schip" call. This call is higher pitched than Richard's pipit. Its song is a short sound. It repeats a loud "chir-ree chir-ree" sound.
What They Eat
Like other pipits, the tawny pipit eats insects. This makes them very helpful in their habitats.
Where They Live and Nest
Tawny pipits like dry, open areas. This includes places like semi-deserts. They build their nests on the ground. A female tawny pipit lays 4 to 6 eggs.
Tawny Pipits in Culture
A film from 1944 is called Tawny Pipit. The movie's story is about a rare event. A pair of tawny pipits breeds in England. The bird footage in the film was actually of meadow pipits. This was because real tawny pipits were hard to get. Europe was occupied by Germany at that time.
