Although the Rock and Water Pipit are similar in build and vocalisations, they breed in completely different habitats and the Water Pipit has a strikingly different summer plumage. In winter, Water Pipits are browner than Rock Pipits with much clearer, whiter more lightly streaked underparts and more completely pale wingbars. Also they have very clean white underparts (which are slightly streaked) and two white wingbars in winter. They can look more like Meadow Pipits but are clearly bigger, with stouter bills, more diffuse streaking and usually an obvious eyestripe. Water Pipits are supposed to have black legs but many wintering birds do have pale legs. The completely white outer-tail feathers of a Water Pipit should eliminate all notions of Rock Pipit, even those of the Scandinavian race.

Breeds in mountain meadows. Winters on coasts, estuaries and water margins.

A regular but localised winter visitor between October-April, to sites such as Cantley Beet Factory in Norfolk. Also occurs on passage, particularly in the spring, with Cley and Minsmere being excellent sites.

Easily located in summer in mountain areas of the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Balkans and Turkey. Migrates to lowland, especially coastal sites in winter. It is very common, for example, around the Tejo Estuary near Lisbon.

©BirdGuides 1999