Friday's Foto

The American Pipit is an arctic and alpine tundra breeding songbird found not only in North America, but also from the high mountains of Europe and central Asia to Scandinavia and Great Britain. Outside of North America it is referred to as the Buff-bellied Pipit. They can be found walking along grassy habitats feeding on insects, continually bobbing their tail. Frequently overlooked around Brooklyn during migration, they can be easily identified as they fly overhead making their distinctive, high-pitched "pip-it, pip-it, pip-it" flight call. David Sibley points out on his website that this specie's plumage is extremely variable. Due in part to their extremely large range the IUCN lists this species as "Least Concern". Its scientific name, Anthus rubescens, means "small grassland bird with a reddish blush".