Rock Pipit - Anthus petrosus

Description

A stocky pipit, larger and darker than Meadow Pipit. It is streaky olive-brown above and dirty white underneath with dark streaking especially to the flanks. Separated from Meadow Pipit by its dark legs and bill and the grey (rather than white) outer tail feathers

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Rocky coastal shorelines around the UK as it hops, walks and runs foraging for food among the boulders. Birds are sometimes seen perched on prominent rocks. It breeds around the coast where there are rocky beaches, and most of the birds that breed in the UK are residents, with only the young birds dispersing once they become independent.

When to see it

All year round. Some birds arrive here from Norway to spend the winter

UK Status

35,650 breeding pairs

VC55 Status

Rare passage migrant, commonest in autumn

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Rock Pipit, Eurasian Rock Pipit, European Rock Pipit
Species group:
bird
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Motacillidae
Records on NatureSpot:
7
First record:
03/10/2003 (Tim Caldicott)
Last record:
24/02/2025 (Messenger, Nigel)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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