Plain-backed Pipit
Anthus leucophrys
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMotacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
- GenusAnthus (Pipits)
- SpeciesAnthus leucophrys (Plain-backed Pipit)
The plain-backed pipit or plain pipit (Anthus leucophrys) is a medium-sized passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is found in open habitats, especially short grassland and cultivation. It builds its cup-shaped nest on the ground and usually lays three eggs. Like other pipits, this species is insectivorous. The plain-backed pipit is a large pipit at 17 cm, but is otherwise an undistinguished looking species, faintly streaked grey-brown above and pale below with light breast streaking. It has a strong white supercilium, and dark moustachial stripes. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Plain-backed Pipit sighting in Semuliki National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Semuliki National Park
Grassveld Pipit
Anthus cinnamomeus
African Pied Wagtail
Motacilla aguimp
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Macronyx croceus
Western Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flava
Mountain Wagtail
Motacilla clara
Crested Malimbe
Malimbus malimbicus
Red-tailed Greenbul
Criniger calurus
Western Nicator
Nicator chloris
Fraser's Rufous Thrush
Stizorhina fraseri
Xavier's Greenbul
Phyllastrephus xavieri
Red-tailed Ant-Thrush
Neocossyphus rufus
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Plain-backed Pipit in Semuliki National Park?
About 3% of wildlife watchers report a Plain-backed Pipit sighting in Semuliki National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Plain-backed Pipit in Semuliki National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Plain-backed Pipit in Semuliki National Park in our monthly data.