Photo: Alandmanson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Short-tailed Pipit
Anthus brachyurus
Short-tailed Pipit (Anthus brachyurus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Short-tailed Pipit (Anthus brachyurus) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 15.3 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 brachyurus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Pipit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Short-tailed Pipit (Anthus brachyurus) is a member of the Motacillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF sc.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.3 cm and a tail of around 4.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Short-tailed Pipit?
The Short-tailed Pipit is a small bird that weighs around 15.3 g.
Where does the Short-tailed Pipit live?
The Short-tailed Pipit is found across Africa with a range covering AF sc, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Short-tailed Pipit belong to?
The Short-tailed Pipit (Anthus brachyurus) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Short-tailed Pipit eat?
The Short-tailed Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Short-tailed Pipit migrate?
The Short-tailed Pipit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Pipit make?
1 real field recording of the Short-tailed 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 Short-tailed Pipit's range?
The Short-tailed Pipit has a mapped global range of about 1.5 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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