Photo: Zeynel Cebeci / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Water Pipit
Anthus spinoletta
Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) — 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 Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 23.9 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 spinoletta
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Water 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 Water Pipit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) is a species of bird in the Motacillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL c, w, s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 3.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Water Pipit?
The Water Pipit is a small bird that weighs around 23.9 g.
Where does the Water Pipit live?
The Water Pipit is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL c, w, s, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Water Pipit belong to?
The Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Water Pipit eat?
The Water Pipit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Water Pipit migrate?
The Water Pipit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Water 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 Water Pipit make?
1 real field recording of the Water 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 Water Pipit's range?
The Water Pipit has a mapped global range of about 3.8 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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