Hello Photographers!

Small inhabitants of the fields that challenge the observer's eye

There is a group of birds that often goes unnoticed even in front of experienced observers. Small, discreet, with predominantly brown plumage and a far more terrestrial than aerial behavior, pipits are specialists at vanishing into the grass.

In Brazil, we find five species of pipits, all belonging to the genus Anthus, of the family Motacillidae: Yellowish Pipit, Short-billed Pipit, Sharp-billed Pipit, Ochre-breasted Pipit and Hellmayr's Pipit.

They are birds closely tied to grassland environments. They walk along the ground in search of small invertebrates, flick their tails, run when they sense danger and, more often than not, prefer to hide in the vegetation rather than simply take flight.

For anyone who photographs birds, they are an extraordinary exercise in patience, perception and reading the environment.

Yellowish Pipit

It is probably the pipit that offers the observer the greatest chance of an encounter across different regions of Brazil. In the tropical region it occupies practically every open habitat outside the Amazon Forest. At about 13 cm, it has a discreet plumage, with pale, brownish tones and a streaked breast. Its common name comes from its characteristic vocalization, a sort of high-pitched, buzzing note that can be picked up even before the bird is located.

For the photographer, this feature is a valuable clue: listen first, then look. It usually walks among short grasses and can be found in fields, open areas and habitats close to bodies of water. It feeds mainly on small invertebrates and, occasionally, seeds.

Field tip: Don't look only for a perched bird. Watch the ground. The pipit will usually be noticed first by its movement among the grasses.

Short-billed Pipit

A typical inhabitant of grassland environments, the Short-billed Pipit is another species that demands an attentive eye on the ground from the observer.

Like the other Anthus, it shows a combination of discreet plumage, relatively long legs and terrestrial behavior. The low-contrast coloration works as excellent camouflage among grasses and soil. It is precisely this discretion that makes observing it so interesting. On a photo outing, it pays to slow down, watch the spaces between the clumps and look for repetitive movements: walk, stop, look for food and walk again.

The challenge is not just finding the bird. It is understanding its behavior before trying to photograph it.

Sharp-billed Pipit

If you enjoy photographing coastal environments and the fields of southern Brazil, this pipit deserves special attention.

The Sharp-billed Pipit occurs in fields, pastures, pampas, grasslands near the coast and areas of low vegetation over dunes, reaching mainly the southern region of Brazil. It is a species that shows how pipits can be associated with very different landscapes — from open fields to coastal environments. For the nature photographer, this creates interesting compositional opportunities. Instead of seeking only a tight portrait, try including the environment. A small bird walking among dune vegetation, with the horizon behind it, can tell a much more complete story than a simple close-up.

Look at the habitat. The habitat is part of the photograph too.

Ochre-breasted Pipit

Also known as the large pipit, the Ochre-breasted Pipit is, without a doubt, one of the great challenges for anyone who wants to observe Brazil's Anthus.

The species has a patchy distribution in Brazil and is considered Vulnerable, mainly on account of habitat loss. It occurs in grassland areas, chiefly in the Southeast and South, and is a rare and little-known species.

Here, photography stops being just a search for a pretty image. Finding an Ochre-breasted Pipit means coming into contact with an environment that needs to be preserved. Natural fields, often seen as "empty" landscapes, can shelter a specialized fauna that is extremely dependent on these open areas. For those who watch birds, then, recording this species can also be a way of documenting the biodiversity of Brazil's fields.

Hellmayr's Pipit

Hellmayr's Pipit is associated mainly with dry fields, rocky areas of the Southern Region and high-altitude fields of southeastern Brazil.

As happens with other members of the genus, its discreet plumage can turn identification into a real puzzle.

This is where behavior gains importance. The observer needs to pay attention not only to the colors, but also to the silhouette, the breast pattern, the environment, the way it walks and, above all, the vocalization.

For the photographer, it is an excellent opportunity to exercise something we too often forget in the search for the perfect image: observe before photographing.

Pipits may look very much alike at first sight. But when we start paying attention, we discover differences in distribution, habitat, vocalization, behavior and plumage.

And perhaps this is one of the best lessons bird observation can offer us.

The more we look, the more we see. In the case of pipits, we need to abandon the expectation that every bird must call our attention through its colors.

Some species invite us to do exactly the opposite: slow down, listen to the field, watch the ground and wait.

Good photos, and see you in the next issue!