Richard's Pipit

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Richard's Pipit in the UK

Richard's Pipit breeds in central and eastern Asia and winters mainly in southern Asia, but a small part of the population migrates west each autumn. That makes it a scarce annual visitor to Britain, not a true vagrant. It was first recorded in Middlesex in 1812. Before the late 1960s fewer than ten a year were typical, then the autumn of 1968 brought at least 120. It has been too regular to count as a national rarity for decades. Numbers have dipped lately: 2022 produced the fewest since 1986 and 2023 was another poor year. A few birds winter, and spring records are very few.

Where and when to see a Richard's Pipit

Late September to November, with October the peak month. The Northern Isles, the North Sea coast and the far south-west record most. Check rough coastal grassland, clifftop fields, stubble, golf courses and dune slacks. Most are first picked up on call as they fly over, so know the sound before you go. Birds on the ground walk through long grass with only the head showing, then stand tall on a mound. Well-watched points such as Spurn, Flamborough, the north Norfolk coast and the airfield on St Mary's, Scilly, are regular.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Coastal (autumn vagrant).
Diet: Insects.
Field note: Large; long legs.

How to identify a Richard's Pipit

A big pipit, 17 to 20cm long and close to a Skylark in size, with long legs, a long tail and a stout, thrush-like bill. It stands very upright with the chest pushed out. The upperparts are brown with dark streaks. The underparts are pale with a buff wash and a band of streaks across the breast. The face looks open, with pale lores and a broad pale stripe over the eye. The legs are yellowish-brown to pink and the hind claw is very long. Flight is strong and deeply undulating, and birds often hover briefly before dropping into grass.

Call and song

The call is the best feature: a loud, rasping, explosive 'shreep', a bit like an angry House Sparrow. It is usually given once or twice as the bird takes off or flies over, and carries a long way. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Tawny Pipit: Tawny Pipit is slimmer, sandier and plainer, more like a wagtail, with a dark line through the lores and a softer 'tchilp' call.
• Blyth's Pipit: Blyth's is a little smaller with a shorter bill, tail and legs, and its call is higher and softer, so a sound recording is the safest way to split them.
• Eurasian Skylark: Skylark is stockier with a short crest, a shorter tail and a white trailing edge to the wing, and gives a rolling 'chirrup'.

Related guide Bird migration in Britain.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Richard's Pipit is a Rare tier bird, worth +8 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)
• Buff-bellied PipitEpic · Coastal grass (vagrant)
• Tawny PipitRare · Open ground (rare vagrant)
• Blyth's PipitEpic · Coastal scrub (very rare)
• Long-billed PipitLegendary · Open ground (extreme vagrant)
• Red-throated PipitRare · Marshes (rare passage)

Richard's Pipit: quick answers

Where can I see a Richard's Pipit in the UK?

On the coast in October, in rough grass near the sea. Shetland, the Yorkshire and Norfolk coasts, Cornwall and Scilly are the best areas. Wintering birds, when they occur, tend to stick to one set of coastal fields for weeks, which makes them easier to catch up with.

When is the best time to see Richard's Pipit?

The first three weeks of October, during or just after easterly winds. A few arrive from mid September and late birds continue into November. Go early in the morning, when migrants are moving and calling overhead.

Is the Richard's Pipit rare in the UK?

It is scarce. Expect to put in several autumns of coastal birding before you find your own. Tracking of birds wintering in southern France and Spain showed they return to breed in Siberia, so the westward journey is a regular route and not an accident.

Kit that helps

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