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American Pipit Anthus rubescens

Flight call description A high, squeaky "jeep" or "jyeet-it", delivered singly or in a well-spaced series. More excited birds will give a run-together "jyeet-it-it-it-it", etc. All calls occur in two distinct pitches.

 

Fig.1. Maryland October 7, 1994 (MO). 

Higher-pitched call from bird in flight.

 

 

Fig.2. Texas November 15, 2000 (WRE).

Lower-pitched call from bird in flight.

 

Examples     Diurnal     Nocturnal

 

Similar species Sprague's Pipit is similar but slightly lower with more complex or more arched notes. Also, Sprague's does not give a double note or multiple notes run together. Instead, excited birds will give a fast series of separate single notes. 

 

Behavior Primarily a nocturnal migrant but engages in resumed migration. Flight calls are given primarily by birds in flight and only rarely by perched birds. Flight calls uncommonly heard from nocturnal migrants.