Within the suite of similarly drab-plumaged pipits resident locally in South Africa, three favour rocky terrain and areas of rugged outcrops interspersed by patches of sparse scrubland and broad-leafed woodland.

Striped Pipit

Striped pipits are distinctive as the description suggests, and are usually encountered waddling about singly or in pairs on the edge of road cuttings in broad-leafed woodland as the preferred habitat type.

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Rock pipits are endemic to South Africa and favour rocky terrain in the semi-arid interior of the country, with a marked preference for semi-arid mountainous terrain in the Great Karoo and along the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment. During summer territorial birds are highly vocal calling from an exposed rock or perch at regular intervals.

Long-billed Pipit

Long-billed Pipit

Long-billed or Nicholson’s pipit – A widespread species favouring stony ground and sparse grassland, superficially resembling the far more widespread African pipit but has a pink lower mandible as opposed to a yellow lower mandible and lacks the distinctive white outer tail feathers.

For more information on where to see or how to identify these Pipits, contact us enquiries@avianleisure.com