Water pipit

    Anthus spinoletta

Castilian: Bisbita alpino

Catalan: Grasset de muntanya

Gallego: Pica alpina

Euskera: Mendi-txirta

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Motacillidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

The population is stable but threatened by mountain tourism, which transforms areas that were previously untouched.

Length / size: 17 cm / 27 cm

Identification: In winter its appearance is that of a typical pipit: its back is brown and streaked, its breast light and striped, its tail long with white external feathers, and its moustache black. However, during breeding season the male's head is bluish-grey, his throat and forehead are white, his breast is solid pink with some streaks on his flanks, and his bill and legs are dark.

Song: Its call is a dry and brief note, "seeep". Its song consists of a fast series of metallic notes.

Diet: It feeds on flies, bugs, caterpillars and moths, which it captures by searching and pecking on the ground. In some areas it can eat larger quantities of seeds and algae.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in May. Although it is mongamous, it is not rare to see a male with two or more females and a female with two or more males. The nest is built by the female on the ground, using grass and dry leaves; she also is responsible for incubation, but later both parents care for the chicks.

HABITAT

During breeding season it occupies wet alpine pastureland near bogs and streams; in winter it establishes itself in wet valley and plains at low altitudes, as well as in marshes, rice fields, flooded fields, rivers and reservoirs. It usually breeds above an altitude of 1,300 to 1,700 metres.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: In winter it is distributed throughout the entire peninsula and the Balearic Islands; during breeding season, it is located in the mountains of the northern half of the peninsula, concentrating in the Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout the entire community, with the largest populations in León, Burgos and Palencia.

Movements and migrations: In our latitudes, it abandons the mountainous areas in October-November, and returns in March-April. Also, specimens arrive from the French Pyrenees and from the Alps.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of more than 30000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: