Anthus vaalensis
An inconspicuous inhabitant of dry, grassy plains with patches of bare ground as well as open pastures and recently burnt fields, the Buffy Pipit subsists on a diet of insects and seeds. They are usually encountered singly or in pairs, occasionally forming flocks in winter.
The breeding season in Buffy Pipits stretches from late winter to the summer months, peaking from September to December. Pairs are monogamous and build a rough, cup-shaped nest usually hidden in a grass tussock. Clutches of 2 or 3 eggs are incubated for two weeks, and the chicks leave the nest by the time they’re 14 days old. Adults measure about 18cm in length and weigh around 30g.
The Buffy Pipit has a wide, if patchy, distribution across Africa south of the equator. In South Africa it is to be found throughout the central, eastern and northern parts of the country. With an increasing population due mainly to stock-farming and associated heavy grazing of otherwise long grass, the IUCN considers the Buffy Pipit to be of least concern.
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