Richard´s Pipit

Anthus richardi

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Motacillidae
Presence in the Strait: Occasional
IUCN (global): LC · Least concern
In Spanish: Bisbita de Richard

Length: 18 cm
Weight: 30 g

Presence in the Strait

Occasional. The number of sightings has increased since 1990. Ten records (14 birds) usually on coastal grassland: January (3), April (1), October (4) and November (6).

Identification

Similar to a Tawny Pipit but larger, with longer legs and tail, pale lores, streaked chest and more erect posture. Its flight call is similar to that of a House Sparrow.

Bioestrecho editorial text. Last revised: 8 September 2026.

Photographs from iNaturalist observations with the licence checked file by file. Those marked “Strait” were taken within the area; place and date are those of each observation.

Calendar in the Strait

73 %

Peak in February. Observations under CC0 or CC BY licences. The distribution also reflects observation effort.

Where it is seen

Open records from the atlas database, in cells of about 3.6 km. Opacity follows the square root of the count, and also reflects where people observe most.

See on the map

First open record: 13 December 2014
Latest record: 1 March 2024

The oldest and the most recent open observation in the extended area. A recent first observation does not mean the species is new: it means nobody had published it openly before.

Conservation

The catalogues, Andalusian and Spanish, are what binds; the Red Book assesses the Spanish population with IUCN criteria, and the global Red List is the context.

LCNTVUENCR

Andalusian Catalogue: Not included
Spanish Catalogue: Not included
Red Book of the Birds of Spain 2021: NE · Not evaluated · wintering or migrating
Global Red List (IUCN): LC · Least concern

Andalusian Catalogue: Junta de Andalucía, list of 24 April 2025. Spanish Catalogue: MITECO, table of 30 June 2025. Red Book: SEO/BirdLife, 2021 (Annex I). IUCN: via GBIF, 6 September 2026. Red Book and IUCN categories are assessments; catalogue categories are legal obligations.

Same genus in the Strait

Water Pipit17–17 cm · Seasonal
Tawny Pipit16.5–16.5 cm · Seasonal
Tree Pipit15–15 cm · Migrant
Meadow Pipit14.5–14.5 cm · Seasonal
Red Throated Pipit15–15 cm · Occasional

Species of the same genus that also occur here, ordered by how close they are in size. Being relatives does not mean they are confused in the field, but that is where the doubts start: compare size and season.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Motacillidae
GBIF taxon key: 9465111

Sources

Distribution and calendar: Bioestrecho's own database, ingested from GBIF and OBIS
Photograph: Kim, CC BY, vía iNaturalist
Taxonomy: GBIF backbone, pending WoRMS for marine taxa
Editorial text: written by Bioestrecho
Last revised: 8 September 2026

Richard´s Pipit

Presence in the Strait

Identification

Gallery