Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a New Zealand Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae)
New Zealand Pipit

New Zealand Pipit

Anthus novaeseelandiae

The New Zealand pipit, or pīhoihoi, is a modestly sized passerine bird, a denizen of New Zealand's open landscapes. This slender avian, weighing approximately 40 grams and measuring 16 to 19 centimeters in length, is characterized by its pale brown plumage with dark streaks above, and paler underparts adorned with streaks across the breast. A distinctive pale stripe graces the area above the eye, flanked by dark malar and moustachial stripes. Its long tail, often seen wagging, features white outer feathers, while its legs are long and pinkish-brown, complementing a slender, similarly hued bill.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the New Zealand pipit, look for its streaked appearance and the habit of tail-wagging. The pale supercilium and dark facial stripes are key features, as well as the white-edged tail. Its long, pinkish-brown legs and slender bill are also indicative of the species.

Habitat

The New Zealand pipit thrives in a variety of open habitats, including grasslands, farmlands, roadsides, dry riverbeds, sand dunes, and open woodlands.

Distribution

This bird is found across New Zealand and its outlying islands, with recognized subspecies on the North, South, and Stewart Islands, as well as the Chatham, Auckland, Campbell, and Antipodes Islands.

Behaviour

The New Zealand pipit is a ground forager, actively seeking small invertebrates. It exhibits a characteristic tail-wagging behavior, which can be observed as it moves across its open habitat.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the New Zealand pipit include a variety of calls and songs, which are used for communication within the species, particularly during the breeding season.

Breeding

Information on the breeding habits of the New Zealand pipit includes nest placement, typically on the ground, and clutch size, which consists of speckled eggs.

Similar Species

While the New Zealand pipit was once lumped with other pipits such as Richard's, African, Mountain, and Paddyfield pipits, it is now considered a separate species. It can be differentiated from these and other similar species by its distinct plumage patterns and habitat preferences.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the New Zealand pipit is composed mainly of small invertebrates like beetles, spiders, and insect larvae, but it also includes seeds, particularly those of grasses.

Conservation Status

The New Zealand pipit is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, its numbers have declined in some areas due to habitat improvement for agriculture, pesticide use, and predation by introduced species.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

New Zealand Pipits on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Wagtails, Pipits

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.