Anthus leucophrys
The Plain-backed Pipit, *Anthus leucophrys*, is a medium-sized songbird inhabiting the open grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. Measuring approximately 16-17 cm in length with a weight typically between 20-30 grams, its most defining characteristic is its unstreaked, plain brown to rufous-brown upperparts, distinguishing it from many other streaky pipit species. Underparts range from buffy to whitish, often adorned with fine streaking on the breast and flanks, complemented by a pale supercilium...
Primarily found in open grasslands, savannas, cultivated fields, and short-grass plains, typically at elevations from sea level up to 3000 meters in some parts of its range.
Feeds predominantly on a variety of insects and other small invertebrates, which it gleans from the ground while walking or running; occasionally consumes small seeds.
Plain-backed Pipits are diurnal and predominantly terrestrial, spending most of their time walking or running gracefully across open ground in search of food. During the breeding season, males engage in a characteristic high-flying song display, ascending rapidly while vocalizing a repetitive, bu...
The Plain-backed Pipit is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting a vast area from Senegal and Mauritania in the west, eastward through the Sahel zone to Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, and then southward across East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa to the Cape of South ...
Least Concern
- The Plain-backed Pipit is unique among many pipit species for its unstreaked back, making it relatively easier to identify in the field. - It has a remarkably wide distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in numerous recognized subspecies, each subtly adapted to local conditions. - Its...