Although this pipit is unmistakeable in breeding plumage with its reddish breast and throat in both sexes, up until now it had never been recorded in Extremadura. It breeds in the Arctic tundra, from Norway to Alaska, wintering in Africa and South Asia, crossing Eurasia on migration. Spain lies on the margin of its migration route, and it is infrequently seen although not classed as a rarity. Most records are from spring (March to May, especially April), when perhaps the passage is heaviest, although it is most readily identifiable then and also other pipits will be scarce or absent. Autumn records are much rarer and in recent years there have been some over-wintering records. The species is a rare but regular over-wintering bird in Italy and Greece, with more wintering in north-east Africa. As with other migratory birds, most records are from the Mediterranean coast of Spain, and it is very rare indeed in the west and centre of the peninsula.
Translated by Martin Kelsey.
