Anthus spragueii
adult
Sprague’s Pipit is a secretive songbird and a prairie specialist. The sexes are similar. Adults have buffish-brown upperparts, heavily streaked on the back and crown. The wings show two white wingbars and the mainly dark tail has white outer feathers. The dark eye is emphasized by a pale buffish supercilium, cheeks, and lores. The underparts, including the throat, are pale, flushed buff on the flanks and breast, and with light streaking on the breast. The legs are pinkish. Juveniles are similar to adults but with bolder streaking.
Sprague’s Pipit is present as a breeding species in its favored prairie grassland mainly from May to September; numbers are declining, its fate linked to the loss and degradation of its summer habitat. It winters from Texas south through Mexico. At all times it is a skulking species. It is easiest to see in spring, when males sing in flight.
adult
FACT FILE
LENGTH 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
FOOD Mainly invertebrates, but some seeds
HABITAT Prairie grassland in summer; rough grassland in winter
STATUS Rare summer migrant and winter visitor
VOICE Song is a descending series of whistled tzee notes, given in flight. Call is a thin squeet, repeated two or three times
