Bird Album
European Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosus (Montagu, 1798)
16–17 cmLength22 gWeight
The European rock pipit (Anthus petrosus), or simply rock pipit, is a species of small passerine bird that breeds in western Europe on rocky coasts.
Busiest months: October · Most records: United Kingdom, Norway, Isle of Man
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: October · Most records: United Kingdom, Norway, Isle of Man
European Rock Pipit has been recorded at 363 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 26 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- GirdlenessUnited Kingdom1,667 records
- North ForelandUnited Kingdom1,421 records
- Portland BillUnited Kingdom1,241 records
More places
- Calf of ManIsle of Man1,135 records
- St Mary'sUnited Kingdom1,105 records
- Fair IsleUnited Kingdom942 records
- Lista FyrNorway875 records
- Titchwell Marsh RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom820 records
- St AgnesUnited Kingdom737 records
- Spurn Bird Observatory Recording AreaUnited Kingdom715 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The European rock pipit (Anthus petrosus), or simply rock pipit, is a species of small passerine bird that breeds in western Europe on rocky coasts. It has streaked greyish-brown upperparts and buff underparts, and is similar in appearance to other European pipits. There are two subspecies, of which the nominate is non-migratory, and the Fennoscandian one is migratory, wintering in shoreline habitats further west and south in Europe.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the European Rock Pipit?
The European Rock Pipit is about 16–17 cm long and weighs around 22 g.
Where does the European Rock Pipit live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: western coasts. It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Norway and Isle of Man.
When is the best time to see the European Rock Pipit?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the European Rock Pipit endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the European Rock Pipit as Least Concern.
What does the European Rock Pipit eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the European Rock Pipit in?
It belongs to the family Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- 16–17 cm
- Weight
- 22 g
- Habitat
- Rocky terrain
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 88 mm
- Tail
- 63 mm
- Bill
- 17 mm
- Tarsus
- 23 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: western coasts
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Wagtails, Pipits Motacillidae
- Genus
- Anthus
Other birds in the genus Anthus
Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
Paddyfield PipitAnthus rufulus
Australian PipitAnthus australis
New Zealand PipitAnthus novaeseelandiae
African PipitAnthus cinnamomeus
Mountain PipitAnthus hoeschi
Blyth's PipitAnthus godlewskii
Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
Long-billed PipitAnthus similis
Nicholson's PipitAnthus nicholsoni
Wood PipitAnthus nyassae
Buffy PipitAnthus vaalensis
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Grigory Kolpakov. ↗
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