Slender brown and buff bird with a streaked breast found in short grassland, pastures, and sparsely vegetated plains. White outer tail feathers are most evident in flight. Similar to several other pipits; some field marks to look for include its relative plain back lacking thick stripes, faint eyebrow, thin whisker mark, and whitish (not buff) belly. Voice is often the best ID feature. Song, often given in flight, consists of a short rasp followed by a quick series of melodious chirps. Usually stays on the ground, but occasionally flies up to an exposed perch such as a post or mound. Note that birds of the high Andes are now considered a different species, Puna Pipit.