Richard's Pipit

The Richard's Pipit, Anthus richardi, is a medium-sized passerine bird which breeds in open grasslands in Siberia. It is a long distance migrant moving to open lowlands in south Asia, east Africa and Australia. It is a rare but regular vagrant to western Europe.

This is a large pipit, but is otherwise an undistinguished looking species on the ground, mainly brown above and pale below. It has long legs and tail and a long dark bill. It often stands very upright. Its flight is strong and direct, and it gives a characteristic explosive "shreep" call.

In south Asia in winter some care must be taken to distinguish this from other large pipits which winter or are resident in the area, such as Blyth's Pipit. Like other pipits, this species is insectivorous.

This bird was named by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot after the French naturalist Monsieur Richard of Luneville.