Anthus vaalensis
Silhouette: Susan Murphy (original photograph), T. Michael Keesey (vectorization) · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The buffy pipit (Anthus vaalensis) is a species of bird in the Motacillidae family. It is found in plains and open countryside in southern and eastern Africa. The IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of least concern.
This species was described by English naturalist George Ernest Shelley in 1900. Some authors include subspecies saphiroi and goodsoni of the plain-backed pipit (Anthus leucophrys) in this species. Its length is 16–18 cm (6.3–7.1 in), and its weight is 23–36.6 g (0.81–1.29 oz). It is often confused with the plain-backed pipit because both species have plain upperparts. The upperparts of the buffy pipit are paler and buffier than the plain-backed pipit.... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 3 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 4 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 6 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 7 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 8 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 9 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Buffy Pipit sighting in Hwange National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 297th most-seen of the 308 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Buffy Pipit in Hwange National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months. That is one of Hwange National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 150 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Buffy Pipit sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 9 parks where we can rate Buffy Pipit sightings, Hwange National Park ranks 6th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa, under 5%), Moremi Game Reserve (Botswana, under 5%) and Kafue National Park (Zambia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Buffy Pipit is recorded against all the birds logged in Hwange National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
