Scientific name: Anthus campestris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Pipits
Field characters. 16.5 cm. Rather large and pale pipit. Main colour sandy-buff. Head with whitish supercilium and throat, crown and back sandy with darker streaks. Indistinct malar stripes, lores dark. Underparts unstreaked or with fine streaks on breast. Breast often with pinkish wash, belly whitish. Wing coverts, especially medians, dark with pale edges, tertials dark brown. Tail rather long and dark with much white on outer feathers. Bill long and dark with pale base, legs long and greyish or yellowish. Juveniles are spotted on breast and more streaked on mantle and thus resemble Richard's Pipit but smaller and with dark lore, narrow malar stripe, cream flanks, and paler tail with buff outer feathers. Has upright stance when alarmed, but otherwise moves low between vegetation, like Yellow Wagtail. During breeding season in pairs or families, on migration alone or in small flocks, often with Yellow Wagtails and other pipits.
Voice. Calls variable, reminiscent of Yellow Wagtail 'tsleep', to sparrow 'chirrup' or of Ortolan Bunting 'tiu'. Song 'cheevee, cheevee', given in song flight or from ground.
Distribution. Rather scarce summer visitor. Declining in many parts of region.
Habitat. Open dry areas with scattered low vegetation, locally also in mountains.
Food. Chiefly insects, but also some seeds. Catches prey on ground.