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  • Meadow pipit

Meadow pipit

Meadow pipit
Meadow pipit
  • Scientific name: Anthus pratensis
  • Bird family: Pipits and wagtails
  • UK conservation status: Amber
  • Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Meadow pipit song audio

Your browser does not support this audio feature.

Ruud van Beusekom, Xeno-canto

Key information

A small, brown, streaky bird, the meadow pipit is the most common songbird in upland areas. Its high, piping call is a familiar sound. In flight it shows white outer tail feathers and in the breeding season it has a fluttering 'parachute' display flight. In winter, they are quite gregarious and gather in small flocks, often invisible among the vegetation, suddenly flying up with typical jerky flight.

Meadow pipit numbers in the UK have been declining since the mid-1970s, resulting in this species being included on the amber list of conservation concern.

What they eat:

Insects - flies, beetles and moths - and spiders.

Measurements:

Length:
14.5cm
Wingspan:
22-25cm
Weight:
15-22g

Population:

UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.
UK breeding:
2,000,000 territories

Identifying features:

Meadow pipit

Meadow pipit
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Green Grey Pink/purple White
Leg colour: Brown Pink
Beak: Black Brown Red Short Thin
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Heathland Marine and intertidal Upland Wetland

Similar birds:

Tree Pipit
Tree pipit
Rock Pipit
Rock pipit

Where and when to see them

Meadow pipits are found across the UK but are most common in the west and north. In winter it moves south, to more lowland areas and becomes much commoner in the southern half of the UK. They are found in open country - upland moors to saltmarshes in summer, more agricultural land and marshes in winter. They will even come to suburban parks and playing fields.

* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Summer
  • Winter
Meadow pipit distribution map

You can see meadow pipits all year round. In summer, they are most common in upland areas which become deserted in winter as birds move to more lowland habitats, with some migrating to continental Europe.

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RSPB reserves

  • RSPB Culbin Sands

Video

Footage of a meadow pipit in grass.

Footage of a meadow pipit in grass.

Meadow pipit video screenshot

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