Anthus longicaudatus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	MOTACILLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Anthus longicaudatus

Species Authority:

Liversidge, 1996

Common Name/s:

English

–

Long-tailed Pipit

Taxonomic Notes:

Described as new to science by Liversidge (1996).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Data Deficient ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

History:

2008	–	Data Deficient
2004	–	Data Deficient
2000	–	Data Deficient
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Anthus longicaudatus is known from South Africa, but is presumed to be a migrant. It has also been recorded from Zambia and Botswana. It occurs in flocks of 10-40 individuals, sometimes in mixed flocks with resident pipits - Buffy Pipit A. vaalensis, African Pipit A. cinnamomeus and Long-billed Pipit A. similis - on playing fields in the town of Kimberley, and on surrounding farms (Liversidge 1996). It may breed further north on the Barotse floodplains in Zimbabwe (del Hoyo et al. 2004), while there are reports that non-breeding flocks of a plain-backed pipit are commonly found on open savannas in the northern and central Kalahari during the wet season: these could be of the northern race of Plain-backed Pipit A. leucophrys or may relate to A. longicaudatus (Harrison et al. 1997). Ornithologists in Kimberley and neighbouring regions, and further afield, should be on the alert for the occurrence of migratory or breeding individuals of this very poorly known species (Liversidge 1996).
Countries:	Native: South Africa Vagrant: Botswana; Zambia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This is a poorly known species and no population estimates are available.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Its breeding habitat is unknown, but in the non-breeding season it occurs in short dry grassland including urban parks and playing fields (del Hoyo et al. 2004). Its horizontal posture and exaggerated tail-wagging behaviour are distinctive (del Hoyo et al. 2004).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Unknown.

Major Threat(s):

Unknown.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway None is known. Conservation Actions Proposed Survey the Barotse floodplains in Zimbabwe (del Hoyo et al. 2004), and establish the identity of the plain-backed pipits that are reportedly commonly found on open savannas in the northern and central Kalahari. Carry out fieldwork in the Kimberley area and adjacent areas in southern Africa to attempt to determine its breeding range and the extent of its non-breeding range.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey the Barotse floodplains in Zimbabwe (del Hoyo et al. 2004), and establish the identity of the plain-backed pipits that are reportedly commonly found on open savannas in the northern and central Kalahari. Carry out fieldwork in the Kimberley area and adjacent areas in southern Africa to attempt to determine its breeding range and the extent of its non-breeding range.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Anthus longicaudatus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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