Sprague's Pipit

16-19 cm (6.25-7.5 in)

5 years

Sprague's Pipit predominantly feed on insects and arthropods like crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles by foraging alone and gleaning seeds or plucking insects from vegetation. In nonbreeding season, they incorporate grass and forb seeds into their diet, although specifics of winter diet are less documented.

Sprague's Pipit primarily inhabit the northern Great Plains' native mixed-grass prairies, thriving in areas with minimal edge habitats and a high amount of native grassland surrounding the habitat patches. They prefer elevations in grazed prairies of approximately 145 ha, with a vegetation height ranging from 6 to 12 inches, but avoid overgrazed and bare grounds. Scattered shrubs are also a significant feature in their habitats, which include key grass species like blue grama, junegrass, and various wheatgrasses, among others. Sprague's Pipit are rarely found in non-native grasslands and never nest in croplands. During migration, similar native grasslands are used; however, crops such as alfalfa may also provide temporary refuge. Winter grounds extend to Mexico and the southern U.S., where they inhabit native and non-native grasslands with sparse shrub coverage and may also frequent shortgrass areas, including overgrazed fields and sports complexes.

During the nesting period, sprague's Pipit females meticulously build the nests, lay eggs, and, alongside males, engage in biparental care, with specific timings and patterns aligned with their breeding season.

Sprague's Pipit's nest is ground-based in tall vegetation, featuring a cup-shaped structure approximately 3.3 inches wide and 1.9 inches tall, with an interior cup of 3 inches wide. The unique dome canopy is crafted by weaving live and dead grasses.