Fairly common but often local, especially in winter. Breeds in mountains on barren, often rocky ground; winters in varied wetland habitats, from lakeshores to salt marshes. Breeding plumage grayish above with white eyebrow; breast pale pinkish, mostly unstreaked. Nonbreeding plumage grayish brown above, whitish below with dark streaks. Sides of tail clean white, versus dingy whitish on Rock Pipit, which can occur in same coastal areas in winter. Call a high, lisping, slightly upslurred "ssiip", very similar to Rock Pipit call.