Water Pipit - Definition and Overview

The Water Pipit, Anthus spinoletta, is a small passerine bird which breeds in the mountains of southern Europe and southern temperate Asia across to China. It is a short-distance migrant moving to wet open lowlands such as marshes and flooded fields in winter.

Like most other pipits, this is an undistinguished looking species on the ground, mainly brown above and dark streaked buff below. It has dark legs, white outer tail feathers and a longish dark bill. In summer it has a distinctive breeding plumage, with a pinkish breast, grey head and pale supercilium.

Some birds in winter may resemble the closely related Rock Pipit, with which Water Pipit was previously considered conspecific. It is much less approachable than Rock Pipit, flying some distance when approached.

This species is insectivorous. Its call is an explosive "fit", like Rock Pipit.