American Pipit 473 



The sexes are alike ; young birds are more distinctly spotted on the 

 back and streaked below. 



Distribution. — Breeding from eastern Siberia, Alaska and Newfound- 

 land to Quebec Province, and southwards at high elevations along 

 the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains ; in winter southwards over 

 the greater part of the United States and Mexico to Guatemala. In 

 Colorado the American Pipit is exceedingly common during migration 

 throughout the State, and breeds at high elevations in the mountains, 

 chiefly between 11,000 and 13,000 feet, and above timber line, though 

 occasionally, according to Gale, as low as 9,000 feet. It arrives on 

 the plains and foothills towards the end of April, and moving up into 

 the mountains, reaches timber line in June, where fresh eggs may be 

 met with from June 25th to July 10th ; it lingers on at high elevations 

 until September or even October, and does not leave the State imtil 

 November. 



The following are spring migi'ation records : El Paso co., last 

 week of April (Allen & Brewster), Limon, May 1st (Aiken), Boulder co., 

 plains, April 20th (Gale), Fort Lewis, La Plata co., April 30th (Morrison), 

 Mesfi CO., " early spring " (Rockwell). Breeding records are: Estes 

 Park at timber line (McGregor), Boulder co., from timber line to 9,000 

 feet (Gale), along timber line near Idaho Springs (Trippe), Seven Lakes, 

 10,600 feet on Pikes Peak (Minot), above timber line on Mount Lincoln, 

 Park CO. (Allen), timber line at Motmt Emmons, Gimnison co. (Warren 

 MSS.), above timber line, San Juan co. (Drew). 



Habits. — The American Pipit, or Titlark as it was 

 formerly called, arrives from the south in large flocks, 

 which do not break up until they reach their breeding 

 grounds. In the mountain parks they frequent the open 

 hill-sides, and show a strong partiality to the ploughed 

 fields of the mountain ranches. Later on in June they 

 reach the summit of 'the range and commence nesting 

 as soon as the snow has sufficiently melted to allow the 

 grass to spring up. They are somewhat shy at this 

 time, hardly permitting an approach of fifty or sixty 

 yards. The male has a song during the breeding season 

 not heard at other times. " Rising in the air at an angle 

 of forty-five degrees, with a fluttering uncertain flight, 

 they commence singing when they are up a little way, 

 and continue till they have reached a height of a hundred 



