Pipit, << PIHP iht, >> is the name of about 35 species of songbirds found in most parts of the world. Pipits measure from 5 to 7 inches (13 to 17 centimeters) long. These birds are brownish with dark streaks and white outer tail feathers that show when they fly. Pipits have a characteristic graceful walk and a habit of wagging their tail. They feed mainly on insects. Like larks, pipits sing while in flight.
Two species of pipits that live in North America are the American pipit and Sprague’s pipit. The American pipit breeds on tundras (treeless plains) of the Far North and on mountaintops in the western part of the United States. It winters in coastal regions of the United States and in Mexico and Central America. It is also found in Asia. Sprague’s pipit breeds in short grass prairies from central Canada to the north-central part of the United States, and winters in the Gulf States and Mexico. Both the American pipit and Sprague’s pipit build nests of grasses on the ground. The females lay from four to six eggs, which are grayish-white with dark spots.
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American pipit
