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Near Threatened

African Rock Pipit

Anthus crenatus

African Rock Pipit (Anthus crenatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

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The African Rock Pipit (Anthus crenatus) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 30.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits
  4. Genus Anthus
  5. Species crenatus

Where it lives

South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland

Quick facts

Weight
30.7 g
Family
Motacillidae

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The African Rock 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 African Rock Pipit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The African Rock Pipit (Anthus crenatus) is a member of the Motacillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.7 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 6.7 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.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 344,000 km².

Songs & calls

African Rock Pipit — Song

Recorded by Dawie de Swardt Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the African Rock Pipit?

The African Rock Pipit is a small bird that weighs around 30.7 g.

Where does the African Rock Pipit live?

The African Rock Pipit is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the African Rock Pipit belong to?

The African Rock Pipit (Anthus crenatus) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the African Rock Pipit eat?

The African Rock Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the African Rock Pipit migrate?

The African Rock Pipit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the African Rock 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 African Rock Pipit make?

1 real field recording of the African Rock 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 African Rock Pipit's range?

The African Rock Pipit has a mapped global range of about 344,000 km².

Conservation

Near Threatened

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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