South Georgia pipit

South Georgia pipit
On South Georgia, British overseas territory
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Motacillidae
Genus:	Anthus
Species:	A. antarcticus
Binomial name
Anthus antarcticus Cabanis, 1884

The South Georgia pipit (Anthus antarcticus) is a sparrow-sized bird only found on the South Georgia archipelago off the Antarctic Peninsula. It is the only songbird in Antarctica, South Georgia's only passerine, and one of the few non-seabirds of the region.

It builds nests from dried grass, usually within tussac grass, and lays four eggs a year. It feeds on small insects and spiders, and beach debris.

It has been threatened by the human introduction of rats, and also by environmental damage caused by humans. It has been chosen as the poster bird of the South Georgia Heritage Trust's Habitat Restoration (Rat Eradication) project, which started eradicating rats on South Georgia in 2011. The project's baiting phase ended in early 2015, and success was confirmed in 2018.^[2][3]

In 2004 the population was estimated to be 6000 to 8000 mature individuals.^[4] Prior to the restoration it was rare to see South Georgia pipits, most often on the rat-free Prion Island. Afterwards their numbers have increased noticeably and are much more often seen by visitors.^[5]

The South Georgia pipit is a small and stocky pipit, 17 cm (6.7 in) long and weighing 36 g (1.3 oz). The species has long legs and a long hindclaw and a short tail.^[6]

• BirdLife Species Factsheet