Northward extension of the known range of the Bush Pipit <i>Anthus caffer blayneyi</i> in Kenya and preliminary evidence for a northern breeding population

Abstract

The Bush Pipit Anthus caffer is a partly nomadic African species whose movements coincide with the onset of rains. Across the continent, the distribution and geographic extent of the five Bush Pipit subspecies are poorly known. In Kenya, the documented range of the Bush Pipit is along the Tanzanian border in the southwest of the country. We provide evidence of a previously undocumented population of Bush Pipits in Laikipia District, Central Kenya that may have been overlooked due to difficulty in identifying this species. It appears that this population may constitute a seasonal influx related to an increase in local primary productivity. However, we also provide preliminary evidence that this species may breed in Laikipia during December–January, while it has been reported that it breeds during March–April in Kenya. Nonetheless, we could not completely ascertain based on this short study whether or not Bush Pipits are year-round residents in Laikipia.