Fun Tawny Pipit Facts For Kids

The tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) is a bird from the Passeriformes order and the Motacillidae family. It is a migratory species of bird that spends its summers breeding in the grasslands of northern Africa, Europe, and the country of Mongolia.

It spends the winter in warmer regions like the sub-Saharan areas and in the Indian subcontinent in Asia. This species is common in bushy areas, cultivations, and mountains, among other types of territories.

It likes living alone mostly, except in the autumn when it may be seen with three to five other birds. It is an overall sandy-brown colored bird, with little sexual dimorphism, the males being slightly brighter and heavier than the males.

It is an omnivore, feeding mainly on insects, worms, and seeds. It is a species of Least Concern according to the IUCN, with stable populations of between 4-9 million individuals.

But it is suffering habitat loss because of encroachment, agriculture, pesticide use, climate change, and even open areas afforestation. If you liked this bird, you could also check out the American Pipit and Louisiana waterthrush.

Tawny Pipit Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a tawny pipit?

The tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) is a bird.

What class of animal does a tawny pipit belong to?

The tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) belongs to the Aves class of animals.

How many tawny pipits are there in the world?

There are 4-9 million adult individuals of the tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) in the world.

Where does a tawny pipit live?

The tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) species are found in the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia. The birds of this spend their breeding season in the grasslands ranging from northwest Africa to central Siberia, as well as Portugal and Mongolia.

To escape the harsh winters, the tawny pipit species fly to the tropical and sub-Saharan regions of Africa as well as the subcontinent of India. It is found in most places in Europe, with the exception of Iceland, northwest France, Britain, and the Scandinavian countries.

What is a tawny pipit's habitat?

The tawny pipit's scientific name, Anthus campestris, literally translates to a 'bird of the grasslands and of the fields.' The bird species are also found within its range in different types of habitat such as bushy areas, cultivation, shores, dry meadows, highlands in the semi-arid climate, mountains, heaths, and fallows.

Whom do tawny pipits live with?

The tawny pipit is a solitary creature. It usually lives alone except when it gets together with a mate in the breeding season. Also, in autumn, groups of up to five pipits may be seen together but at a certain distance from one another.

How long does a tawny pipit live?

A tawny pipit may live for up to five years like most other pipits.

How do they reproduce?

Tawny pipits reproduce by mating and laying eggs. The birds of this species build their nests in shallow holes on the ground itself.

The female of the tawny pipit species builds the ground nest with loose hair and dry grass. Four or five grayish or yellowish-white eggs are laid at a time, and they have small patches of purple, dark brown, or black.

Both parents incubate the eggs for about two weeks, and the pale buff chicks are fed by both as well. The chick leaves the ground nest after two weeks of hatching.

What is their conservation status?

The Conservation Status of the tawny pipit species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Least Concern.

Tawny Pipit Fun Facts

What do tawny pipits look like?

The tawny pipits are 6.3-7 in (16-17 cm) long and have wingspans of 9.8–11 in (25-28 cm). They weigh 0.98-1 oz (28-29 g).

The males of this species are slightly brighter and heavier than the females. Apart from that, there isn't much in the way of sexual dimorphism. Tawny pipits are often seen standing erect and are easy to spot.

The upper parts of the tawny pipit are sandy-brown in color, and the crown is dark-streaked. The wing coverts of the tawny pipit also have dark-brown streaks.

The rump is also brown, and the tail is long and dark-brown and blackish on the middle steering feathers or rectrices. The tail feathers also have buff on the narrow edges and whitish on either side of the outer edges.

The breast of the tawny pipit is buff and light-streaked. It has a pale belly.

A pale eyebrow extends from the hind crown to the base of the bill. The throat and the chin of the tawny pipit are whitish or yellowish. It has a dark brown bill, with the lower mandible being lighter than the upper one.

The legs and eyes are yellowish and blackish-brown, respectively. The upperparts and upper breast of the juvenile pipit are streaked heavily, and it has a white on its wing bars as well.

How cute are they?

The tawny pipit is a very cute, medium-sized species of bird. It is beautiful brown color overall, with white, black, and yellow also adorning its body. They are also known for their melodic 'chiui-chiui-chiui' songs and the long tail.

How do they communicate?

Tawny pipits communicate via calls and songs. This species is known to utter raspy tones that are high-pitched and can be heard from a distance. When alarmed, it gives a 'tzirrrp' or 'tchiiiip' call. Its most notable song is the melodic and single-toned 'chiui-chiui-chiui' heard during its flight.

How big is a tawny pipit?

The tawny pipit is 6.3-7 in (16-17 cm) long and it has a wingspan of 9.8-11 in (25-28 cm), which makes them five times bigger than the bee hummingbird species.

How fast can a tawny pipit fly?

Being a medium-sized bird, the tawny pipit flies at speeds close to 25 mph (40 kph).

How much does a tawny pipit weigh?

A tawny pipit weighs 0.98-1 oz (28-29 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Like most birds, the male and female of the tawny pipit species are called cocks and hens respectively.

What would you call a baby tawny pipit?

A baby tawny pipit is called a chick.

What do they eat?

Tawny pipits are omnivores who eat insects, worms, small spiders, grasshoppers, and small seeds. It is itself preyed upon by hawks and owls as well as squirrels and cats.

Are they dangerous?

No, tawny pipits are not dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

They are not generally taken as pets. They are a migratory, wild species of birds, and they should be left to their preferred habitats and these habitats should be preserved.

Did you know...

The tawny pipit is identifiable from its related species with its sandy-colored body and dark-brown crown streaks. It is often seen on the ground standing erect. The breast of the tawny pipit is buff and its wing coverts are also streaky.

Is tawny pipit endemic?

The tawny pipit is a migratory species and it can be said to be endemic to its winter and summer habitats. Its breeding season is spent in the summers of northwest Africa through to central Siberia, Portugal, and Mongolia.

In the harsh winters of these places, it migrates to warmer habitats such as the sub-Saharan and tropical regions of Africa, and the subcontinent of India.

What is the difference between tawny pipit and Richard's pipit?

The Richard's pipit is still considered a common migrant to England, and the closely related tawny pipit isn't.

Richard's pipit is also a large pipit like the tawny pipit but is slightly larger and heavier. The tawny pipit is 6.3-7 in (16-17 cm) long, whereas Richard's pipit is 6.7-7.8 in (17-20 cm) long. Richard's pipit weighs 0.8-1.2 oz (25-36 g) on average, and tawny pipit weighs 0.98-1 oz (28-29 g).

Richard's Pipit has a wider geographical range than the tawny pipit. Its range extends into China, and even Sri Lanka, Singapore, and even as a migrant in Japan. Richard's pipit is even found in English and Scandinavian regions. The tawny pipit does not inhabit these parts.

The Richard's pipit has a bill and legs that are longer than the tawny pipit's.

The Richard's pipit has a distinctive and harsh flight call, much like a house sparrow's, much different from the tawny pipit's melodic and monotonous flight call.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including Cooper's hawk fun facts or Spix's macaw surprising facts!

You can occupy yourself at home by coloring in our free printable Tawny pipit coloring pages.