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What the Water Pipit sounds like



ID tip
The water pipit is 15–17 centimetres (5.9–6.7 in) long and weighs 18.7–23 grams (0.66–0.81 oz). The adult of the nominate race in spring plumage has greyish-brown upperparts, weakly streaked with darker brown, and pale pink-buff underparts fading to whitish on the lower belly. There may be some faint streaking on the breast and flanks. The head is grey with a broad white supercilium. The outer tail feathers are white, and the legs, bill and iris are dark brown or blackish. In non-breeding plumage, the head is grey-brown and the supercilium is less distinct. Voice: The water pipit's song is delivered from a perch or in flight, and consists of four or five blocks, each consisting of about half a dozen repetitions of a different short note. In comparison, the European rock pipit's song is a sequence of about twenty tinkling cheepa notes followed by a rising series of thin gee calls, and finishing with a short trill.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Water Pipit
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Water Pipit
The map shades 76 countries with regular records, and 5 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Moldova, Libya, Bangladesh, Guernsey.
About the Water Pipit
The water pipit is a small passerine bird which breeds in the mountains of Southern Europe and the Palearctic eastwards to China. It is a short-distance migrant; many birds move to lower altitudes or wet open lowlands in winter.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Paddyfield PipitAnthus rufulusThis is a large pipit at 15 cm, but is otherwise an undistinguished looking bird, mainly streaked grey-brown above and pale below with breast streaking.
African PipitAnthus cinnamomeusThe African pipit is 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in) long and is a slender bird with an erect stance.
Side by side: American Pipit vs Water Pipit · Tree Pipit vs Water Pipit · European Rock Pipit vs Water Pipit · Paddyfield Pipit vs Water Pipit · African Pipit vs Water Pipit
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