- Anthus brachyurus
Identification
Length 12-13 cm. A very small pipit with a short, thin tail. The upper parts are dark and heavily streaked; outer tail is white.
Possibly the only sexually dimorphic pipits:1 The males have distinctly buffy underparts, while the females are white with bold chest streaking.
Distribution
Africa south of the equator.
Taxonomy
Anthus brachyurus has two subspecies:2
- A. b. leggei
- A. b. brachyurus
- Grasslands of southern Mozambique and eastern South Africa
Habitat
Short sparse grassland; in the winter months also recorded on short seasonally flooded grassland.
Behaviour
Seldom venture from grass cover where they forage for invertebrates and seeds.
Breeding: Monogamous and territorial. The nest is a grass cup concealed in dense grass; two to three eggs are laid.
References
- Chittenden H. 2008. Short-Tailed Pipit. Downloaded from www.birdinfo.co.za on 30 August 2008.
- Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
- Sinclair I & Ryan P. 2003. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0620207299
