Fauna Flora Photography

Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens

A migratory, small bird usually seen walking on the ground looking for food. Diet consists mostly of insects. It is a migratory bird, spending summer in the tundra.

Specs

Length13-14cm
Weight18-25g
Wingspan24cm

Common Names

GermanPazifischer Wasserpieper
EnglishBuff-bellied Pipit
FrenchPipit d'Amérique
SpanishBisbita norteamericano

Taxonomy

OrderPasseriformes
FamilyMotacillidae
SpeciesAnthus rubescens

How to Identify

An undistinguished-looking bird with a whitish belly, breast white with dark spots, brown back and dark beak and legs. To identify this species, a close look is required. Running around on the ground may be a behavioral characteristic.

Buff-bellied Pipit (Anthus rubescens) - Tadoussac - 2018-05-22

Where and When to Spot

Rarely seen in Southern Quebec unless on a stop during migration in spring. The only observation of this species happened during migration in Tadoussac on the beach.

Last updated on 2024-03-14. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.