The plumage of the bird is generally brown and streaked, providing camouflage in grassland habitats. It has a relatively long bill compared to other pipits

Vikarabad: Seasoned bird watcher Sriram Reddy has photographed a Long-billed pipit at the Enkathala grasslands in Mominpet mandal recently. This is said to be the first sighting of the rare bird in Telangana.

With this record, the number of birds that were sighted and photographed in the State has increased to 442. It is also the first and only bird added to the list of birds sighted in Telangana in the year 2023. Pipits feed on insects and grains foraging on the ground in grasslands. The plumage of the bird is generally brown and streaked, providing camouflage in grassland habitats. It has a relatively long bill compared to other pipits.

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The bird is native to the Middle East, Africa, and South Asian countries. In India, it is a native of different States in north India. However, it generally migrates down South to avoid the harsh weather during winter. Since it was sighted in Karnataka many times, birders were hoping that they would certainly see this bird in Telangana during winter. Among the pipits, only the paddyfield pipit, which can be seen everywhere in grasslands in the State, is native to Telangana. The pipit family comprises the Richard’s pipit, Tawny pipit, Blyth’s pipit, Tree pipit and Olive-backed pipit.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Sriram Reddy said they were searching for the bird for at least three to four years during the winter season. However, no wildlife photographer had managed to photograph it in the State so far. Since the Enkathala grassland is the only major grassland left in the State, he said the Long-billed pipit had chosen it as its winter destination.