Birds of North America Home Page

Field Guide for all the Birds of North America


Pipits

Pipits

Motacillidae

Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities

pipits

There are at least four types of pipits found or seen in North America. They are the American Pipit, Sprague's Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and the Olive-backed Pipit. Of this group, the American Pipit is the most common and widespread. The Sprague's Pipit lives in the central states and is a prairie bird whose habitat is being lost to agriculture and industrial development, raising concerns for its declining numbers. The Red-throated Pipit can be found on the western shores of Alaska and on the islands of the Bering Sea, as well as the Olive-backed Pipit who is a vagrant and seen during the migration periods.

The pipits are another group of the known bird species that are more often heard than seen. In their early breeding season, pipits are seen high in the skies, executing flight aerials and flight calls.

Click on the bird images or names to see pictures of the Pipits seen in North America

References to Other Bird Sites:

Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.

ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.

I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.


Classic Collection of North American Birds

CCNAB