Anthus spragueii
Sprague's pipit

Anthus spragueii breeds in the northern prairies of the Great Plains, it’s northern limit is Saskatchewan, with it’s western limit near the Rocky Mountains. Anthus spragueii can also be found in the Dakotas, western Minnesota, Montana, and parts of British Columbia. Anthus spragueii winters in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and areas in Northern Mexico. It has also been observed in Michigan, western Ontario, Ohio, and Massachusetts. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Sprague's pipits prefer grassland with few shrubs and high visibility. They prefer native grasses like wheatgrass, June grass, blue grama, Canby blue, green needle grass, smooth brome, and crested wheat. (Robbins and Dale, 1999; "Anthus spragueii", 2001; Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Lacking some of the brighter colors found in other pipits, Sprague's pipits are well camouflaged in prairie grasses. The plumage is a tan color highlighted by streaks of white and black, with white outer tail feathers. Sprague's pipits have pinkish yellow legs, dark eyes, and a small cream colored beak. Females show an increase in mass during the mating season. Young are covered in gray down upon hatching and have transparent skin. (Hutchins, et al., 2002; Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Little is known about the mating systems of Anthus spragueii. During mating season Sprague's pipits are monogamous. Other pipits are known to perform aerial displays to attract mates. (Hutchins, et al., 2002; Robbins and Dale, 1999)

In Saskatchewan Sprague's pipits take 3 to 4 months to raise a clutch. The season begins the second week of May and extends into July. Mates produce an average of 1.5 clutches per year with a clutch consisting of roughly 4.5 eggs. Nests are built on the ground in grassland near dense grass. Females collect dried grass 5 to 15 cm in length to weave into a nest. Sometimes females will build a canopy out of grass, creating a dome over the nest. The nest interior is approximately 7.6 cm in diameter, 3.8 cm in depth, with a 5.1 cm entrance hole. New nests are built for every brood. The incubation period is 13 to 14 days. There is little information about the age of sexual maturity in Sprague's pipits. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Females incubate the eggs over a 13 to 14 day period. During the pre-fledgling period (which lasts 10 to 11 days) Females provide all care. It has been suggested that males may take over care after young leave the nest. ("Anthus spragueii", 2001; Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Little is known about the lifespan of Sprague's pipits. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Sprague's pipits walk or run while foraging or avoiding predators. Males establish and defend territories with aerial displays. They circle over the territory, singing briefly then quickly flapping their wings. At the end of this show they dive low to the ground then pull up to land. Sprague's pipits are solitary during migration and winter, but form flocks during mating season. Sprague's pipits will reach a rear leg above the wing to scratch the head and perform anting and dusting as self maintenance. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Sprague's pipits establish territories during the breeding season. Males establish their territory through an aerial display in which they circle over the territory. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Sprague's pipits generally only make calls that are short "squicks." Only males are known to sing, and only during their aerial display. Male songs are high pitched and last 2 to 3 seconds. Nestlings can make noises at age 10 to 11 days. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Sprague's pipits eat mostly arthropods during breeding season, and some seeds too. They forage in grasses on their own during the daytime. They eat spurge seeds, grasshoppers, crickets, false cinch bugs, weevils, stink bugs, ants, leaf beetles, beetles, and caterpillars. Females bring small invertebrates to the young to eat. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Little is known about predators of Sprague's pipits, but carnivorous mammals, such as weasels, and snakes are suspected as predators of eggs and nestlings. Raptors may take fledglings and adults. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)

Broods of Sprague's pipits are parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds, but less so than other prairie-dwelling birds. They are also parasitized by the feather mites Proctophyllodes anthi and P. polyxenus. Sprague's pipits forages for insects and also feed on seeds. (Hutchins, et al., 2002)

Sprague's pipits have no known economic importance to humans, aside from their role as parts of healthy, prairie ecosystems. (Hutchins, et al., 2002)

There are no adverse effects of Sprague's pipits on humans. (Hutchins, et al., 2002)

Sprague's pipits are considered vulnerable because of a rapid population decline of about 32% that has been documented since the 1970's. The major threats to this species are considered habitat loss and degradation resulting from land conversion to agriculture. (IUCN, 2007)

According to The Birds of North America, Sprague's pipits are "one of the least-known birds in North America." Named after Isaac Sprague, who discovered these birds near Fort Union, N.D. in June of 1943. (Robbins and Dale, 1999)