262 LAND BIRDS 
697. AMERICAN PIPIT. 
Famity: The Wagtails. 
Anthus pensilvanicus. 
Length : 6.00-7.00. 
Adults in Summer : Upper parts brownish gray, more or less indistinctly 
streaked ; wings dusky, with two buffy wing-bars and light edgings ; 
tail dusky ; inner web of outside feathers white, second feather buffy ; 
chin light cream-buff; under parts buff, streaked with dusky on 
chest. 
Adulisin Winter: Upper parts decidedly browner; under parts lighter, 
streaks on breast usually broader. 
Young: Upper parts dull brownish gray; under parts dull brownish 
white ; chest spotted or broadly streaked with blackish. 
Geographical Distribution : Whole of North America ; migrates in winter 
to Gulf States and California. ' 
Breeding Range : From about the timber line in the Colorado mountains, 
north to the Arctic coast. 
Nest: Bulky and rather compact ; composed of dried mosses, grasses, 
etc. ; lined with hair, feathers, etc. ; placed on the ground. 
Eggs: 4 to 6; dark chocolate-color, surface nearly covered with grayish 
brown specks and streaks. Size 0.76 X 0.56. 
DurRING migration and in the winter the American 
Pipit occurs in flocks on the large open stretches of 
country along the coast and interior valleys of California. 
Wherever fire has swept over the grass, or the plough- 
man has turned the sod, these dull-colored little birds 
alight in numbers and walk about picking up food with 
dainty teetering of head and tail. If alarmed, they rise 
with one accord high into the air, but, instead of flying 
away to another meadow, they usually come back to 
finish their feast as if it were only a foolish fright after 
all. Their plaintive note is a softer edition of the loud 
“kill-dee” of the plover, and is uttered constantly as 
the birds circle over their feeding ground or fly from 
one locality to another. | 
