Buff-bellied Pipit

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Buff-bellied Pipit in the UK

Buff-bellied Pipit is a rare vagrant from North America, on the British List in Category A under the name American Pipit. The first was on St Kilda on 30 September 1910. It stayed an extreme rarity for decades: a bird in Lincolnshire in December 2005 was only the fifth. Since then it has become close to annual, with 37 British records by the end of 2012 and eight in the 2021 rarities report alone. The Asian form, now split as Siberian Pipit, has no proven British record.

Where and when to see a Buff-bellied Pipit

Most are on western and northern islands in late September and October: the Isles of Scilly, the Outer Hebrides (St Kilda had four to 2021), Shetland and Fair Isle. A few are found on the mainland in winter, such as one at Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, in 2005-06 and one at Burton Marsh on the Dee in December 2013. Check beaches with rotting seaweed, short coastal turf and wet fields where Rock and Meadow Pipits feed. Most are confirmed from photographs and a heard call.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Coastal grass (vagrant).
Diet: Insects.
Field note: American: pale; Asian: streaky.

How to identify a Buff-bellied Pipit

The size and shape of a Rock or Water Pipit. Upperparts are plain grey-brown with very faint streaking, so the back looks smooth next to Meadow Pipit. The face is open, with pale lores and a pale stripe over the eye. Underparts are warm buff with neat, thin streaks across the breast and down the flanks. Legs are usually dark, and the outer tail feathers are clean white. It walks and wags its tail on open ground and is often approachable.

Call and song

The call is a thin, squeaky "sip" or "si-sip", lighter and less forceful than the "weest" of Rock and Water Pipit and closer to Meadow Pipit. It usually calls on take-off. Song is not heard in Britain. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Water Pipit: Winter Water Pipit is whiter below with a bolder white eye stripe and browner, more contrasting upperparts.
• Eurasian Rock Pipit: Rock Pipit is darker and smokier with heavy blurred streaking below and grey, not white, outer tail feathers.
• Meadow Pipit: Meadow Pipit is smaller with a clearly streaked back, pink legs and a repeated "sip-sip-sip" call.

Related guide Rare birds in the UK.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Buff-bellied Pipit is an Epic tier bird, worth +20 points when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Olive-backed PipitRare · Coastal scrub (autumn vagrant)
• Richard's PipitRare · Coastal (autumn vagrant)
• Blyth's PipitEpic · Coastal scrub (very rare)
• Long-billed PipitLegendary · Open ground (extreme vagrant)
• Tawny PipitRare · Open ground (rare vagrant)
• Pechora PipitEpic · Outer-isle scrub (very rare)

Buff-bellied Pipit: quick answers

Has a Buff-bellied Pipit ever been seen in the UK?

Yes, many times. The first was on St Kilda in 1910 and the species is now recorded in most years. All accepted British birds have been the North American form.

Is the Buff-bellied Pipit rare in the UK?

Yes. It is still a national rarity whose records are judged by the British Birds Rarities Committee, even though several are now found each autumn. Better cameras and wider knowledge of the call probably explain part of the rise since 2005.

What is the difference between Buff-bellied Pipit and Water Pipit?

Buff-bellied is plainer and greyer above, buffer below and has pale lores that give it a gentle, open face. Water Pipit has a dark line in front of the eye, a stronger white eye stripe and whiter underparts in winter. The call is the best check: thin "sip" against a fuller "weest".

Kit that helps

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