Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mountain Pipit
Anthus hoeschi
Mountain Pipit (Anthus hoeschi) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mountain Pipit (Anthus hoeschi) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 27 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits
- Genus Anthus
- Species hoeschi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mountain Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Mountain Pipit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Mountain Pipit (Anthus hoeschi) is a member of the Motacillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e South Africa and Lesotho.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27 g, with a wing length of about 8.5 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 31,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mountain Pipit?
The Mountain Pipit is a small bird that weighs around 27 g.
Where does the Mountain Pipit live?
The Mountain Pipit is found across Africa with a range covering AF e South Africa and Lesotho, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Mountain Pipit belong to?
The Mountain Pipit (Anthus hoeschi) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mountain Pipit eat?
The Mountain Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Mountain Pipit migrate?
The Mountain Pipit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Mountain Pipit endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Mountain Pipit make?
1 real field recording of the Mountain Pipit — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Mountain Pipit's range?
The Mountain Pipit has a mapped global range of about 31,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Motacillidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.