Buff-bellied Pipit - Reproduction: From Pairing To Fledging

Reproduction: From Pairing To Fledging

The first thing Buff-bellied pipits do when they arrive on the breeding site, during snowmelt, is pairing. Indeed, males will start to fight one on one to win over the female and pair with it during the entire breeding season. They also fight for the snow-free sites that would be better for nesting. The moment is also very important because the melting snow implies an increase in arthropods abundance, which constitutes the main food source for these birds. After the fight and the pairing, nesting is the next step. Nests are most often found on the ground in dry or wet meadows, always with a helpful protection, but they are never placed in shrubs or trees. The composition of the ideal nest depends on whatever is around the nesting area, but it is usually made of sedge, remains or new fine grass and sometimes some horse hairs. The final issue American pipits have to deal with is nest success. The nest is indeed the target for numerous predators such as ants or hawks. If this step is successful, an egg can be produced. The female will not lay an egg if the conditions are not optimal (temperature, nesting site,…) and if the first attempt fails, her time to lay an egg is reduced. In general, American pipits continuously lay eggs over a period of 4 to 5 days after snow-melt (in April–May) to mid-July. After this period, the male testes decrease in size and the female refuses any copulation. In general, the clutch size is 5 eggs but it can vary according to snowfalls, the parents’ reproductive ability and predation. Eggs are incubated for 13–14 days During this time, the female does not leave the nest but is still very reactive to any movement around its habitat. It communicates by singing to the male that brings her food and defends its territory. Four or five days after hatching, the young is skinny, blue-gray in color and only has its secondary feathers. For a week, the female will brood its clutch but both parents will feed them. After these 7 days, the birds are ready for fledging but they will still be fed by their parents 14 days after their departure. Finally, immature birds will form little flocks with other immature birds and wander off.