Sprague's Pipit Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSprague's Pipit
© Bradley Hacker 🦜 / Macaulay LibraryNorth Dakota, June 09, 2019
© Shailesh Pinto / Macaulay LibraryMontana, July 22, 2020
Medium-sized grassland bird with a small head. The plain face and white eyering give it a big-eyed look. Note unstreaked flanks.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryMontana, July 26, 2017Slender grassland bird with a small head. Heavily streaked and scaly-looking above with a plain face.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryKansas, October 23, 2011Performs flight displays on the breeding grounds. White outer tail feathers visible in flight most of the time.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryKansas, October 23, 2011© Dan Jones / Macaulay LibraryTexas, January 04, 2017
© Jory Teltser / Macaulay LibraryConnecticut, October 23, 2016
Habitat
Breeds in short grass native prairies. Has a plain faced and big-eyed look.
© PC Smith / Macaulay LibrarySaskatchewan, July 03, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Pipit
Nonbreeding/immature
American Pipits have an unstreaked back and crown whereas Sprague's Pipits have a streaked or scalloped looking back and a streaked crown. Some American Pipits have faint streaks on the back, but they are never as strong as Sprague's.
© Doug Hitchcox / Macaulay LibraryMaine, November 15, 2015Similar SpeciesVesper Sparrow
Adult/immature
Vesper Sparrows have a small conical bill and a streaked back whereas Sprague's Pipits have a thin bill and an unstreaked back.
© John Reynolds / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, September 04, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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