Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensis
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 18.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits
- Genus Anthus
- Species pratensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Meadow 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 Meadow Pipit is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) belongs to the Motacillidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Iceland through w, n Europe to w Russia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 6.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Meadow Pipit?
The Meadow Pipit is a small bird that weighs around 18.4 g.
Where does the Meadow Pipit live?
The Meadow Pipit is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Iceland through w, n Europe to w Russia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Meadow Pipit belong to?
The Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Meadow Pipit eat?
The Meadow Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Meadow Pipit migrate?
The Meadow Pipit is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Meadow Pipit endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Meadow Pipit make?
1 real field recording of the Meadow Pipit — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Meadow Pipit's range?
The Meadow Pipit has a mapped global range of about 6.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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