Bird Guide

African Pipit vs European Rock Pipit

African Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus)

African Pipit

Anthus cinnamomeus

Small32 gGrassland

The African pipit is 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in) long and is a slender bird with an erect stance. It is buffy-brown above with darker streaks. The underparts are white or pale buff with a streaked breast and plain belly and flanks. The face is boldly patterned with a pale stripe over the eye and a dark malar stripe. The outer tail-feathers are white. The legs are long and pinkish and the slender bill is dark with a yellowish base to the lower mandible. Juvenile birds have a blotched breast, scalloping on the upperparts and some streaking on the flanks.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Timothy Whitehead · CC BY 4.0
European Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus)

European Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosus

Small22 gRocky

The European rock pipit is 16.5–17 centimetres (6.5–6.7 in) long and weighs 18–32.5 grams (0.63–1.15 oz). The nominate race has smoky-olive upperparts, weakly streaked with darker brown, and buff underparts, heavily marked with poorly defined brown streaks. The legs, bill and iris are dark brown or blackish, and there is a pale eye-ring. The sexes are alike; although males average slightly brighter than females, the overlap is complete and birds cannot be sexed on appearance or measurements.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Jacob Spinks from Northamptonshire, England · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: African Pipit and European Rock Pipit.