Richard's is a big, long-legged pipit of Asian grasslands that often stands tall and upright. It breeds across southern Siberia, Mongolia, and China and winters in India and Southeast Asia, and the US is outside its range. It passes through Korea and Japan in small numbers each spring and fall.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 7–8 in (17–20 cm) long. Brown above with dark streaks, pale below with a streaked breast, a long tail with white outer feathers, and long yellowish-brown legs. The hind claw is very long.
- Voice
- The call is a loud, harsh "shreep"; the song is a series of buzzy notes given in a bounding song flight.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Grasslands
- Steppe
- Farm fields
- Range
- Breeds in southern Siberia, Mongolia, parts of Central Asia, and northern, central, and eastern China. Winters in India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. The US is outside its range.
- Seasonal presence
- A migrant that passes through Korea and Japan in spring and fall, where it is scarce.
- Preferred conditions
- Open, flat lowlands, especially lush, moist grassland and cultivated land.
Behavior
- Diet
- Mostly insects picked up on the ground, plus a few seeds; it sometimes makes short flights after flying insects.
Life cycle
- Nest
- A grass or moss nest on the ground, tucked under a grass tussock.
Name and classification
- About the name
- It was once lumped with the Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Paddyfield Pipit (Anthus rufulus), and others as a single species; they're now usually treated as separate species. The name honors French naturalist Charles Richard.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
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