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Australian [Richard's] Pipit

(Anthus novaeseelandiae)
Alternative names: "Ground-lark", "Pipit"
Size: 16-18 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

There are in total four races of Australian Pipits. For details on their individual ranges see a field guide. Altogether they populate all of the Australian mainland, most of Tasmania (except the south-western corner) and several offshore islands. The only parts of the continent where they are only found in faviourable conditions (after substantial inland rainfall) are the deserts of WA and parts of the tropical north of Australia, just south of the north coast, including the Kimberleys.

Australian Pipits are mostly found in open grassland, paddocks or farmland. We have not seen an Australian Pipit in woodlands yet.

Sightings

Although only seen at a distance in June 2007, we tentatively identified a couple of birds on a neighbour's paddock 20 km east of Narrabri, NSW, based on their facial patterns, calls and their behaviour of staying in open grassland, as Australian Pipits. Spotted again when accidentally flushed out of deep grass in a paddock, in July 2008. The identification was later confirmed with photos as nominate race "australis".

Also found at Copeton Waters State Park, 40 km south-west of Inverell, NSW, in September 2008 and at Upper Bullawa Creek, 40 km east of Narrabri, in November 2008.

Australian Pipits are also found in open farmland, e.g. near Bellata, NSW.

Again spotted by us on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia in March 2008, where they were identified with certainty. In October 2010 we confirmed that an area with particularly high numbers of Australian Pipits is the road from Burren Junction to Cryon, western NSW. There we found them on the road or by the roadside in many groups of up to about 10 birds each.

Australian Pipits were also spotted by us east of the Great Dividing Range in January 2011, on a beach near Old Bar, NSW.

Photos

Race "australis"

Frontal view of an Australian Pipit

Near-frontal view of an Australian Pipit on the ground

Here a lateral view of a bird on a dirt road

This bird is having a good look around

Dorsal view of an Australian Pipit

Now with its head turned

Dorsal view of an Australian Pipit on the ground

Although technically bad, this photo shows the underside of a bird just after takeoff, revealing the characteristic brown head and neck, creamy front and dark tail

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Australian Pipits are often found on the barest patches of earth to be found - sealed roads, dirt roads, trodden-down paddocks, gravel. The colours of their plumage provide them with camouflage to survive in such open terrain.

Have you ever seen such a tiny speck on the road ahead of you? If yes, in Australia it is likely to be an Australian Pipit - click on the image to see the complete picture (the photo was taken with a 250-mm telelens!)

We have never hit an Australian Pipit sitting on the road as shown above; they fly away in time and then sit, e.g., on fences waiting for a car to pass and then to go back to normal business

Food

To the best of our knowledge Australian Pipits feed on seeds, but the fact that they are often found on sealed roads may indicate that they take dead insects as well.