Ochre-breasted Pipit Anthus nattereri Scientific name definitions

The Ochre-breasted Pipit, which is currently regarded as Vulnerable according to IUCN threat criteria, is found only in southern South America, where it is restricted to areas of native grassland. Two perhaps more or less separate populations are known, further north in the southeastern Brazil, and to the south in southern Paraguay and northern Argentina. It appears to tolerate (and may even prefer) short grass regenerating after grassland burns or lightly grazed zones, but much concerning this species’ ecology and natural history remains unknown. Its plumage is that of a typical pipit, with the ochre-yellow underparts, from which the species derives its vernacular name, being apparent only in fresh plumage. The upperparts are broadly streaked black, and the breast is also boldly streaked black.

13·5–15 cm. Rather small pipit with distinctive plumage. Has yellow-buff supercilium streaked black, black spot on cheek, thin dark moustachial stripe; blackish-brown above, including wings, with bright buff or golden ochraceous-yellow feather edgings giving boldly streaked blackish appearance; rump less streaked, and more rufous or golden-buff; tail dark brown, feathers pointed, T4 paler and tipped white, T6 pale brownish-white with dark brown wedge on proximal part of inner web, T5 similar but has more dark brown; throat creamy; breast golden-buff to orange, streaked brown, flanks rufous-buff, streaked brown, belly buffy white; iris dark; bill brown, basal two-thirds of lower mandible pale; legs yellow-brown or reddish-brown, long hind claw. Sexes alike. Juvenile not described.

S Paraguay (S from Paraguarí), NE Argentina (Corrientes), N & C Uruguay (1 Azpiroz, A. B., and J. L. Menéndez (2008). Three new species and novel distributional data for birds in Uruguay. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 128(1):38–56. Close ), and SE Brazil (Minas Gerais S to Rio Grande do Sul).

Dry pastures and fields and rolling campo grassland, to 900 m. Has been recorded in breeding season in young eucalypt (Eucalyptus) plantation. Appears to show some preference for burnt areas with regenerating short grass (Brazil) or lightly grazed grassland.

Not well known; studies in SE Brazil (São Paulo) suggest that it is semi-nomadic in response to optimal conditions.

Little known. Small invertebrates ; one stomach contained only insects. Forages on the ground, picking food items.

Song, in flight, complex and musical series of notes ending in slurred “eeeeeeeur”, followed by several nasal notes on alighting on ground.

Nest with eggs in Oct; gonadal condition of specimens and recorded song period suggest breeding probably in Sept–Jan. In aerial display, male rises to c. 25 m, hovers while singing, descends rapidly in spiral (still singing). Few other data, all from S of range. Nest a shallow cup of plant stems and grass roots, on ground by grass tussock. One clutch documented, of 4 eggs, incubated by female, role of male not known. Nest parasitism by Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) recorded.

VULNERABLE. Scarce and very local. Formerly considered Endangered, but recently found to be more widespread and somewhat less rare than was thought. In Paraguay, surveys in late 1990s revealed the species’ presence at 14 sites, with important populations in Misiones and Caazapá and at two sites in Itapúa. In Argentina, was found in Corrientes in 1960s and rediscovered at same locality (now named San Juan Bautista) in Jan 1993. Previously widespread and not uncommon in Brazil, but has declined greatly; recent observations from at least three sites in Minas Gerais, including Serra da Canastra National Park, and one in São Paulo, and a possible observation farther S, in Santa Catarina. The dry natural grasslands that it requires are threatened by agricultural and forestry development; conversion to crops such as sugar cane and soybeans in Brazil, and the planting of alien trees such as eucalypts on grasslands in all three countries in which it occurs, are of major concern, as are the conversion of grassland to reseeded pasture and the use of pesticides. Intensive grazing, over-frequent burning and invasive grasses are additional threats. A critical factor, at least locally, seems to be the species’ need for a mosaic of burnt grassland areas; although it initially disappears after fires, it is one of first species to reappear when grass has regenerated, but it cannot tolerate annual burning of habitat. Flooding resulting from the Yacyretá Dam, in Paraguay, is a further problem, and parasitism by Shiny Cowbird may add to the pressures faced by this pipit.