Appearance
Its length is 16–18 cm, and its weight is 23–36.6 g. It is often confused with the plain-backed pipit because both species have plain upperparts. The upperparts of the buffy pipit are paler and buffier than the plain-backed pipit. The buffy pipit has a pale supercilium, and its lower mandible has a pinkish base. It has faint markings on the breast, and the belly and flanks are buffy. The juvenile has mottles.Distribution
The buffy pipit is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with a distribution size estimated at 5,660,000 km2. Its habitat is semi-arid plains with grasses and bare ground. It also occurs in pastures, burnt fields, and edges of saltpans.Status
The population size is not known. The species has an increasing population trend and a large range, so the IUCN Red List has assessed the species as least concern.Behavior
One or two individuals are usually encountered, but flocks may be found in winter. It frequently wags its tail. Its song is a repeated "tchreep-churup", and the call "sshik" is given when the bird is flushed. It eats invertebrates and seeds. Breeding has been recorded from July to February in Zimbabwe and August to December in South Africa. The nest is an open cup built on the ground.References:
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