Bird
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens
A winter visitor to Virginia, found in all 133 counties and cities and 12 habitats.
- Here
- Winter and on migration
- Nesting
- Not known to nest here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 12

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- Winter and on migration
- Nesting
- Not known to nest here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 12
- Habitat models
- Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Virginia 12
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground


Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)
Tidal marshes of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the source does not say whether the water is fresh, brackish or salt. A stated salinity files the marsh under freshwater tidal marshes or salt and brackish marshes instead.
Depression ponds and limesinks
Shallow ponds in Coastal Plain depressions, such as limesinks and the ponds in some Carolina bays, that rise and fall with the seasons.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Marshes along tidal rivers where the water is fresh but rises and falls with the tide.
Wet, open, peaty mountain wetlands fed by seepage, often with sphagnum moss.
Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.
Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.
Salt and brackish open water of sounds, bays and estuaries, with the mud and sand flats and seagrass beds that tides cover and uncover; the vegetated marsh is salt and brackish marshes.
Other habitats in its models (28)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Virginia. Those recorded in Virginia first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (21)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Sea Island Beach Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Beach Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet Prairie Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
- Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Winter.
- Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Winter.
- Mississippi River Riparian Forest Winter.
- Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog Winter.
- Texas Coastal Bend Beach Winter.
- Upper Texas Coast Beach Winter.
Land cover and other classes (7)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Winter.
- Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Winter.
Seasons in Virginia
- Migratory: does not nest here, in 90 of 133 counties and cities.
- Winter: does not nest here, in 65 of 133 counties and cities.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 330
- Common RagweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- Giant RagweedAmbrosia trifida
- Digitaria serotinaDigitaria serotina
- Shaggy CrabgrassDigitaria villosa
- Southern CrabgrassDigitaria ciliaris
- Eastern Flowering SpurgeEuphorbia corollata
- American IpecacEuphorbia ipecacuanhae
- Coastal Sand SpurgeEuphorbia exserta
- Glade SpurgeEuphorbia purpurea
- Nodding SpurgeEuphorbia nutans
- Northern Seaside SpurgeEuphorbia polygonifolia
- Southeastern Flowering SpurgeEuphorbia pubentissima
- Southern Seaside SpurgeEuphorbia bombensis
- Spotted SpurgeEuphorbia maculata
- Tinted SpurgeEuphorbia commutata
- Warty SpurgeEuphorbia spathulata
- MaidencanePanicum hemitomon
- Panicum amarum var. amarulumPanicum amarulum
- Bitter PanicgrassPanicum amarum
- Fall Panic GrassPanicum dichotomiflorum var. dichotomiflorum
- Panicum virgatum var. virgatumPanicum virgatum var. virgatum
- SwitchgrassPanicum virgatum
- Wiry PanicgrassPanicum flexile
- Giant BristlegrassSetaria magna
Plant genera in its diet records (42)
- Ambrosia 2 diet records. 2 native plants in Virginia
- Digitaria 2 diet records. 3 native plants in Virginia
- Euphorbia 2 diet records. 11 native plants in Virginia
- Panicum 2 diet records. 7 native plants in Virginia
- Setaria 2 diet records. 2 native plants in Virginia
- Triticum 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Urochloa 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Acalypha 1 diet record. 4 native plants in Virginia
- Amaranthus 1 diet record. 4 native plants in Virginia
- Athysanus 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Avena 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Brassica 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Calandrinia 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Carex 1 diet record. 170 native plants in Virginia
- Centaurea 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Chenopodium 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Virginia
- Croton 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Virginia
- Dactyloctenium 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Deinandra 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Diodella 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Eleusine 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Empetrum 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Erodium 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Helianthus 1 diet record. 10 native plants in Virginia
- Hordeum 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Virginia
- Liquidambar 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Virginia
- Madia 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Paspalum 1 diet record. 11 native plants in Virginia
- Persicaria 1 diet record. 11 native plants in Virginia
- Pinus 1 diet record. 8 native plants in Virginia
- Polygonum 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Virginia
- Ranunculus 1 diet record. 15 native plants in Virginia
- Rumex 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Virginia
- Sambucus 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Virginia
- Scirpus 1 diet record. 11 native plants in Virginia
- Scleranthus 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Stellaria 1 diet record. 4 native plants in Virginia
- Trifolium 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Virginia
- Verbena 1 diet record. 4 native plants in Virginia
- Viola 1 diet record. 33 native plants in Virginia
- Zanthoxylum 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Virginia
- Zea 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Virginia
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Virginia, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Coastal dunes and beaches
Birds 108
- DovekieAlle alle
- Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa
- Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus caudacutus
- Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseus
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Horned LarkEremophila alpestris
- Nelson's Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus nelsoni
- Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
Plants 109
- Maritime ThoroughwortEupatorium maritimum
- Seabeach KnotweedPolygonum glaucum
- Northern BayberryMorella pensylvanica
- Seabeach AmaranthAmaranthus pumilus
- Northern Seaside SpurgeEuphorbia polygonifolia
- Southern Seaside SpurgeEuphorbia bombensis
- Mound-lily YuccaYucca gloriosa
- Largeleaf PennywortHydrocotyle bonariensis
- Rough American Barnyard GrassEchinochloa muricata var. muricata
- Northern Seabeach OrachAtriplex mucronata
- Dune Marsh-elderIva imbricata
- American SearocketCakile edentula
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Birds 130
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- DickcisselSpiza americana
- BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
- DovekieAlle alle
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
- Yellow-throated VireoVireo flavifrons
- Bachman's SparrowAimophila aestivalis
- Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
- Nelson's Sharp-tailed SparrowAmmodramus nelsoni
- Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Thayer's GullLarus thayeri
Plants 24
- Slender FimbryFimbristylis autumnalis
- Purple SpikerushEleocharis atropurpurea
- Blue MistflowerConoclinium coelestinum
- False DaisyEclipta prostrata
- Intermediate Spike RushEleocharis intermedia
- Blunt Spike RushEleocharis obtusa
- Mid-Atlantic Flat-top GoldenrodEuthamia floribunda
- Bristly SedgeCarex comosa
- ChaffweedCentunculus minimus
- Shortbeak BeaksedgeRhynchospora nitens
- Sensitive FernOnoclea sensibilis
- AxilflowerMecardonia acuminata var. acuminata
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 86
- Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
- Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Brewer's BlackbirdEuphagus cyanocephalus
- Northern WaterthrushSeiurus noveboracensis
- GadwallAnas strepera
- Yellow-throated WarblerDendroica dominica
- Black-throated Blue WarblerDendroica caerulescens
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Least BitternIxobrychus exilis
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
Plants 381
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spreading SedgeCarex laxiculmis
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Virginia Cup-plantSilphium connatum
- Coville's PhaceliaPhacelia covillei
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for American Pipit
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus

































































