How to Spot an American Pipit

By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor

Instructions

Step 1:
Know where to look for an American Pipit. During the summer breeding season, you can find American Pipits living near the Canadian arctic, northern Alaska and southward to New Hampshire in the east and California in the west. You'll find American Pipits living on Arctic tundra or in mountainous regions during this time.
Step 2:
Find American Pipits during winter months along the Pacific coast north to British Columbia and on the Atlantic coast from southern New England to Mexico. Look for these birds on beaches and fields during the cold months.
Step 3:
Take note of the American Pipit's size. The American Pipit is a small pipit measuring approximately 6.5 inches in length. This bird weighs a little less than 1 oz. on average and has a wingspan ranging from 10 to 11 inches.
Step 4:
Observe the appearance of an American Pipit with black legs and a long, thin black bill. It has light brown to buff colored underparts and brown streaking on its breast. The upper parts are gray to brown. The tail is a fan shape and a dark overall color with white edging. The wings are also dark colored, and they have a rounded shape.
Step 5:
Listen to the American Pipit on the What Bird website. (See link in Resources.) The American Pipit gives its call during flight that sounds like "pip-pit." The song of an American Pipit consists of a rapid, repeating series of notes that sound like "cheedle" or "chee."
Step 6:
Watch the behaviors of an American Pipit. Characteristic of all pipits, the American Pipit wags or bobs its tail up and down while it walks. During flight, look for rapid wing beats. The American Pipit is a swift flyer.

Tips & Warnings

Don't confuse the American Pipit with Sprague's Pipit. The American Pipit has more streaks on its breast than the Sprague's Pipit and the Sprague's Pipit has pink legs instead of the brown legs on the American Pipit.

Resources

Listen to an American Pipit

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