Skip to content

Anthus similis

warning Vulnerable
VU (C1)

Contributed: Asaf Mayrose, Avner Rinot, Yoav Perlman, Yosef Kiat, Lior Kislev, Tuvia Kahn, Ezra Hadad, Noam Weiss, Yuvak Dax

The Long-billed Pipit is classified as Vulnerable (VU) because of the continued decline in its population size, which is estimated to exceed 10% over 3 generations (11 years). In the previous edition of the red book (2002), it was classified as Endangered (EN). The apparent improvement in its status does not reflect a true improvement, but a slowing down of population and range reduction, as well as differences in the quality of information and assessment methods between the editions.
VU Current Regional Assessment | EN Previous Regional Assessment | LC World Assessment

Habitats Rocky Terrain, Mediterranean Batha, Semi-desert Batha, Mountainous Terrain
Presence In Israel Resident
Nesting In Israel Breeder
Migration Types Resident
Zoography Zones Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian
Landscape Formations Mountainous, Rugged Terrain
Vegetation Formations Mediterranean Garrigue, Steppe, Herbaceous
Vegetation Densities Low
Nest Locations Ground
Diet Types Invertebrate
Foraging Grounds Ground
Body Sizes Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors Plantations, Wildfires, Habitat Fragmentation

The Long-billed Pipit is resident in mountainous and hilly areas in Israel’s Mediterranean and Steppe regions, at altitudes of 250-700 meters. In recent decades has disappeared from Mt. Carmel, large areas in Western Judea and Samaria and most of the Western Galilee.

The Long-billed Pipit occupies shrubland (Batha and Garrigue) on rocky slopes in the Mediterranean region and the desert transition area.

Direct disturbance – mainly by military activity, shepherds and hikers.
Afforestation that reduce and fragment shrublands. Long-billed Pipits do not nest in planted areas or in adjacent areas, and they require shrubland patches extending at least over 50 hectares (Shochat 2000).
Wildfires in shrublands – mainly due to military exercises.
Closing of native woodland – reduced grazing in northern Israel leads to closing of woodland and the resulting habitats are not suitable for the pipits.

No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.

Preserving shrubland patches greater than 50 hectares and avoiding habitat fragmentation caused by development and afforestation.

  • מירוז, א. 2008. סיכום סקר ציפורים בשמורת סנסן אביב 2008. דו"ח רשות הטבע והגנים ומרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.
  • מירוז, א. 2013. סיכום סקר ציפורים במזרח לכיש, אביב 2013. דו"ח רשות הטבע והגנים.
  • מירוז, א. ושוחט, א. 2014. סיכום סקר ציפורים סביב היישוב נטע במזרח לכיש – 2014. דו"ח רשות הטבע והגנים.
  • מירוז, א., 2007 . סיכום סקר ציפורים בגבעות גומר. דו"ח עבור רשות הטבע והגנים.
  • פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
  • צורים ע., מירוז, א., 2006 . סיכום סקר ציפורים באזור נחל אדוריים. דו"ח עבור רשות הטבע והגנים.
  • שוחט, א. 2000. השפעת קיטוע בתות הספר על ידי חורש נטוע על חברת העופות בצפון הנגב. חיבור לקבלת תואר דוקטור. אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון.
  • Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
  • Shochat, E., Abramski, Z., Pinshow, B., 2001. Breeding bird species diversity in the Negev: Effects of Scrub Fragmentation by planted forests. Journal of Applied Ecology, 38, 1135-1147.
  • Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
  • Species page at Birdlife International
Contributed: Asaf Mayrose, Avner Rinot, Yoav Perlman, Yosef Kiat, Lior Kislev, Tuvia Kahn, Ezra Hadad, Noam Weiss, Yuvak Dax

Current Occupancy Map

Distribution maps

The maps presented here provide visual information on the distribution of species in Israel in the past and present, and the changes in occupancy and nesting density during the comparison period. For further reading


Relative Abundance 2010-2020

Breeding density values as calculated from observation records and expert opinions.

Relative Abundance 1980-1990

Breeding density values are based mainly on the book Birds of Israel (Shirihai 1996).

Occupancy difference 1990-2020

A map that expresses differences in the breeding distribution between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative value - species previously present but is currently absent, positive value - species has not been recorded previously and is currently present, zero - no change in occupancy.

Relative abundance difference 1990-2020

A map that reflects the changes in the relative abundance of the species between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative values - decline in abundance, positive values - increase in abundance, zero - no change in abundance.


Rarity
Vulnerability
Attractiveness
Endemism
Red number
Peripherality

IUCN category
Definition

() districts
Disjunctiveness:
% of protected sites

Other Species

Motacilla alba
Motacilla flava
Anthus campestris
Motacilla citreola