Photo: logan kahle / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sprague’s Pipit
Anthus spragueii
Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 25.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits
- Genus Anthus
- Species spragueii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sprague’s 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 Sprague’s Pipit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) belongs to the Motacillidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA sc Canada and nc USA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 6.5 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sprague’s Pipit?
The Sprague’s Pipit is a small bird that weighs around 25.5 g.
Where does the Sprague’s Pipit live?
The Sprague’s Pipit is found across North America with a range covering NA sc Canada and nc USA, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Sprague’s Pipit belong to?
The Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sprague’s Pipit eat?
The Sprague’s Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sprague’s Pipit migrate?
The Sprague’s Pipit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Sprague’s Pipit endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Sprague’s Pipit make?
1 real field recording of the Sprague’s Pipit — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sprague’s Pipit's range?
The Sprague’s Pipit has a mapped global range of about 1 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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