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 until 
November. 
The following are spring migration records: El Paso co., last 
week of April (Allen & Brewster), Limon, May lst (Aiken), Boulder co., 
plains, April 20th (Gale), Fort Lewis, La Plata co., April 30th (Morrison), 
Mesa 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 Mount Emmons, Gunnison 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 
