Sprague's pipit (Anthus spragueii) is a small songbird (passerine) in the family Motacillidae that breeds in the short- and mixed-grass prairies of North America. Migratory, it spends the winters in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Sprague's pipits are unusual among songbirds in that they sing high in the sky, somewhat like a goldfinch or skylark. It is more often identified by its distinctive descending song heard from above than by being seen on the ground. Males and females are cryptically coloured and similar in appearance; they are a buffy brown with darker streaking, slender bills and pinkish to yellow legs. Sprague's pipit summer habitat is primarily native grasslands in the north central prairies of the United States and Canada (distinguishing them from the American subspecies of the buff-bellied pipit, which breed in the northern Rocky Mountains and the Arctic). The species was named after the botanical illustrator Isaac Sprague.[3]
Sprague's pipits winter in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. In the United States it occurs from southern California (casually), south-central and southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, central and eastern Texas, occasionally found in southern Kansas, southern Oklahoma, very rarely in southern Missouri, Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi south through Arkansas and Louisiana. In October 2016, an individual was found in Connecticut for the first time, suggesting that they could be vagrants to other places as well.[6] In Mexico it is found in the interior from northeastern Sonora and Nuevo Leon south to Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi and along the Atlantic Coast from Tamaulipas to central Veracruz. It is uncommon in the Central Volcanic belt, rare in west Tobasco and a vagrant to s Guerrero (Howell and Webb 1995).
Ecology and statusedit
Statusedit
Sprague's pipits were listed in 1999 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) [1] as “threatened”; the status was re-examined and confirmed in May 2000. Sprague's pipits were officially listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) as “threatened” on 5 June 2003 (Jones 2010). In the United States, Sprague's pipits are a candidate for listing as “endangered” or “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; however, listing Sprague's pipits is precluded by higher listing priorities.[2]
Habitatedit
They breed in habitat with minimal human disturbance, such as grazing, haying or other human development. Sprague's pipit is a ground nesting passerine and standing dead vegetation is used to build the canopy over the nest.
Reproductionedit
Breeding begins as early as late April and continues until mid to late August. Nests are a small cup of grass found on the ground with standing dead vegetation folded over to create a canopy. There is a single entrance to the nest. Four to six eggs are typically laid within the nests with an average incubation time of 13–14 days.
Renesting and second broods have been occasionally documented for Sprague's pipit, as has polygyny; however, they are predominantly single-brooded (Jones et al. 2010).
Dietedit
Sprague's pipits eat various insects, spiders, and sometimes seeds. During the breeding season, the adults are almost entirely insectivorous and feed the young on insects as well.
Galleryedit
Sprague's pipit by J. G. Cooper, 1870
Nest with 2 eggs and 4 recently hatched chicks taken on CFB Suffield.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2021). "Anthus spragueii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T22718591A152502644. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22718591A152502644.en. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
^ abJones, Stephanie L. (2010). (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
^ abAudubon, John James (1844). "Family 14, Alaudinae, Larks, Genus 1, Alauda, Lark". The Birds of America. Vol. 7. New York: J.J. Audubon. pp. 334–336. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.61411.
^ ab"Sprague's Pipit Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". www.allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
^Webmaster, David Ratz. "Sprague's Pipit - Montana Field Guide". fieldguide.mt.gov. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
^ abAmerican Ornithologists' Union (1998). Check-list of North American Birds (7th. ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Ornithololgists' Union. ISBN189127600X.
Campbell, RW, NK Dawe, I McTaggart-Cowan, JM Cooper, GW Kaiser, MCE McNall, & GEJ Smith. 1997. Birds of British Columbia: Passerines:
Flycatchers Through Vireos
Howell, SNG and S Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and North Central America. Oxford University Press, New York.
Jones, SL, JS Dieni, & PJ Gouse. 2010. Reproductive biology of a grassland songbird community in north-central Montana. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 122:455-464.
Further readingedit
Booksedit
Robbins, M. B., and B. C. Dale. 1999. Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii). In The Birds of North America, No. 439 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthus spragueii.
Sprague's Pipit Conservation Plan - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Sprague's Pipit Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
sprague, pipit, anthus, spragueii, small, songbird, passerine, family, motacillidae, that, breeds, short, mixed, grass, prairies, north, america, migratory, spends, winters, southwestern, united, states, northern, mexico, unusual, among, songbirds, that, they,. Sprague s pipit Anthus spragueii is a small songbird passerine in the family Motacillidae that breeds in the short and mixed grass prairies of North America Migratory it spends the winters in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico Sprague s pipits are unusual among songbirds in that they sing high in the sky somewhat like a goldfinch or skylark It is more often identified by its distinctive descending song heard from above than by being seen on the ground Males and females are cryptically coloured and similar in appearance they are a buffy brown with darker streaking slender bills and pinkish to yellow legs Sprague s pipit summer habitat is primarily native grasslands in the north central prairies of the United States and Canada distinguishing them from the American subspecies of the buff bellied pipit which breed in the northern Rocky Mountains and the Arctic The species was named after the botanical illustrator Isaac Sprague 3 Sprague s pipitConservation statusVulnerable IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily MotacillidaeGenus AnthusSpecies A spragueiiBinomial nameAnthus spragueii Audubon 1844 Range of Sprague s pipitSynonyms 2 3 Alauda spragueii Audubon 1844 Contents 1 Description 2 Range 3 Ecology and status 3 1 Status 3 2 Habitat 3 3 Reproduction 3 4 Diet 4 Gallery 5 References 6 Further reading 6 1 Books 7 External linksDescription editMeasurements Length 5 9 6 7 in 15 17 cm 4 Weight 0 6 0 9 oz 18 2 27 g 4 Wingspan 10 in 25 4 cm 5 Range editFound in mixed or short grass prairie throughout the central northern Great Plains of North America In Canada Sprague s pipit breed in southern Alberta southern Saskatchewan and southwest Manitoba In the United States they breed in northeastern and central Montana western and central North Dakota northwest South Dakota and in the Red River Valley of Minnesota 6 Sprague s pipits winter in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico In the United States it occurs from southern California casually south central and southeastern Arizona southern New Mexico central and eastern Texas occasionally found in southern Kansas southern Oklahoma very rarely in southern Missouri Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi south through Arkansas and Louisiana In October 2016 an individual was found in Connecticut for the first time suggesting that they could be vagrants to other places as well 6 In Mexico it is found in the interior from northeastern Sonora and Nuevo Leon south to Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi and along the Atlantic Coast from Tamaulipas to central Veracruz It is uncommon in the Central Volcanic belt rare in west Tobasco and a vagrant to s Guerrero Howell and Webb 1995 Ecology and status editStatus edit Sprague s pipits were listed in 1999 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada COSEWIC 1 as threatened the status was re examined and confirmed in May 2000 Sprague s pipits were officially listed under the Species at Risk Act SARA as threatened on 5 June 2003 Jones 2010 In the United States Sprague s pipits are a candidate for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 however listing Sprague s pipits is precluded by higher listing priorities 2 Habitat edit They breed in habitat with minimal human disturbance such as grazing haying or other human development Sprague s pipit is a ground nesting passerine and standing dead vegetation is used to build the canopy over the nest Reproduction edit Breeding begins as early as late April and continues until mid to late August Nests are a small cup of grass found on the ground with standing dead vegetation folded over to create a canopy There is a single entrance to the nest Four to six eggs are typically laid within the nests with an average incubation time of 13 14 days Renesting and second broods have been occasionally documented for Sprague s pipit as has polygyny however they are predominantly single brooded Jones et al 2010 Diet edit Sprague s pipits eat various insects spiders and sometimes seeds During the breeding season the adults are almost entirely insectivorous and feed the young on insects as well Gallery edit nbsp Sprague s pipit by J G Cooper 1870 nbsp Nest with 2 eggs and 4 recently hatched chicks taken on CFB Suffield References edit BirdLife International 2021 Anthus spragueii IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021 e T22718591A152502644 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2021 3 RLTS T22718591A152502644 en Retrieved 10 May 2023 a b Jones Stephanie L 2010 Sprague s Pipit Anthus spragueii conservation plan PDF Washington D C U S Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 a b Audubon John James 1844 Family 14 Alaudinae Larks Genus 1 Alauda Lark The Birds of America Vol 7 New York J J Audubon pp 334 336 doi 10 5962 bhl title 61411 a b Sprague s Pipit Identification All About Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology www allaboutbirds org Retrieved 2020 09 29 Webmaster David Ratz Sprague s Pipit Montana Field Guide fieldguide mt gov Retrieved 2020 09 29 a b American Ornithologists Union 1998 Check list of North American Birds 7th ed Washington D C American Ornithololgists Union ISBN 189127600X Campbell RW NK Dawe I McTaggart Cowan JM Cooper GW Kaiser MCE McNall amp GEJ Smith 1997 Birds of British Columbia Passerines Flycatchers Through Vireos Howell SNG and S Webb 1995 A guide to the birds of Mexico and North Central America Oxford University Press New York Jones SL JS Dieni amp PJ Gouse 2010 Reproductive biology of a grassland songbird community in north central Montana Wilson Journal of Ornithology 122 455 464 Further reading editBooks edit Robbins M B and B C Dale 1999 Sprague s Pipit Anthus spragueii In The Birds of North America No 439 A Poole and F Gill eds The Birds of North America Inc Philadelphia PA External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthus spragueii Sprague s Pipit Conservation Plan U S Fish and Wildlife Service Sprague s Pipit Species Account Cornell Lab of Ornithology Sprague s Pipit Anthus spragueii USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter Sprague s Pipit photo gallery VIREO Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sprague 27s pipit amp oldid 1193816061, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
