Striped pipit explained

The striped pipit (Anthus lineiventris) is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae, which is native to Africa southwards of the equator.

Range and habitat

It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, DRC, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Its natural habitat is rocky areas in dry to mesic savanna.

Taxonomy and systematics

The striped pipit forms a species complex with the African rock pipit.^[1]

Subspecies

There are two subspecies:^[2]

• A. l. stygium Clancey, 1952 – Angola, Kenya, DRC, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa
• A. l. lineiventris Sundevall, 1851 – Botswana, South Africa and Eswatini

Description

thumb|left|The nominate subspecies in Ithala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-NatalIt is a large pipit, ranging from 17 to 18 centimeters in length and weighing 31-37 grams. The wing coverts have yellow-green edges, and the underparts are olive brown with dark brown streaking.

Voice

A loud, penetrating, thrush-like song, uttered from a rock or perch.

Diet

It feeds on insects and other arthropods, particularly grasshoppers.

External links

• Striped pipit - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.

Notes and References

1. Book: Sinclair, Ian. Complete photographic guide Birds of Southern Africa. Ryan. Peter. Struik Nature. 2009.
2. Web site: Striped Pipit (Anthus lineiventris). www.hbw.com. en. 2018-02-21.