The pipits have a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring across most of the world's land surface.
They are the only genus in their family to occur widely in the Americas (two species of wagtail marginally occur in Alaska as well).
Three species of pipit occur in North America (one only here), and seven species occur in South America.
The remaining species are spread throughout Eurasia, Africa and Australia, along with two species restricted to islands in the Atlantic.
Some six species occur on more than one continent.

As might be expected from a genus with such a wide distribution, the pipits are found in an equally wide range of habitats.
They occur in most types of open habitat, although they are absent from the very driest deserts.
They are mostly associated with some kind of grassland, from sea-level to alpine tundra.
The rock pipit and South Georgia pipit is found in the rocks and cliffs of the seashore, whereas a number of species are restricted (for part of the year in some cases) to alpine areas.
The family also ranges from the northern tundra and the subantarctic islands of New Zealand and the South Georgia group to the tropics.
They are absent from tropical rainforest, but a few species are associated with open woodland, for example the wood pipit of southern Africa which is found in open woodland savanna and miombo woodland.

The pipits range from entirely sedentary to entirely migratory.
Insular species like the Berthelot's pipit, which is endemic to Madeira and the Canary Islands, are entirely sedentary, as are some species in warmer areas like the Nilgiri pipit.
Other species are partly nomadic during the non-breeding season, like the long-legged pipit of central Africa or the ochre-breasted pipit of South America.
These seasonal movements are in response to conditions in the environment, and are poorly understood and unpredictable.
Longer, more regular migrations between discrete breeding and wintering grounds are undertaken by several species.
The tree pipit which breeds in Europe and northern Asia, winters in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, a pattern of long-distance migration shared with other northerly species.
Species may also be partly migratory, with northern populations being migratory but more temperate populations being resident (like the meadow pipit in Europe).
 The distances involved do not have to be that long; the mountain pipit of southern Africa breeds in the Drakensberg of South Africa and migrates north only as far as Angola and Zambia.
Migration is usually undertaken in groups, and may happen both during the day and at night.
There is some variation in this, for example the Sprague's pipit of North America apparently only migrates by day.
The pipits have a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring across most of the world's land surface. They are the only genus in their family to occur widely in the Americas (two species of wagtail marginally occur in Alaska as well). Three species of pipit occur in North America (one only here), and seven species occur in South America. The remaining species are spread throughout Eurasia, Africa and Australia, along with two species restricted to islands in the Atlantic. Some six species occur on more than one continent.
As might be expected from a genus with such a wide distribution, the pipits are found in an equally wide range of habitats. They occur in most types of open habitat, although they are absent from the very driest deserts. They are mostly associated with some kind of grassland, from sea-level to alpine tundra. The rock pipit and South Georgia pipit is found in the rocks and cliffs of the seashore, whereas a number of species are restricted (for part of the year in some cases) to alpine areas. The family also ranges from the northern tundra and the subantarctic islands of New Zealand and the South Georgia group to the tropics. They are absent from tropical rainforest, but a few species are associated with open woodland, for example the wood pipit of southern Africa which is found in open woodland savanna and miombo woodland.
The pipits range from entirely sedentary to entirely migratory. Insular species like the Berthelot's pipit, which is endemic to Madeira and the Canary Islands, are entirely sedentary, as are some species in warmer areas like the Nilgiri pipit. Other species are partly nomadic during the non-breeding season, like the long-legged pipit of central Africa or the ochre-breasted pipit of South America. These seasonal movements are in response to conditions in the environment, and are poorly understood and unpredictable. Longer, more regular migrations between discrete breeding and wintering grounds are undertaken by several species. The tree pipit which breeds in Europe and northern Asia, winters in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, a pattern of long-distance migration shared with other northerly species. Species may also be partly migratory, with northern populations being migratory but more temperate populations being resident (like the meadow pipit in Europe).  The distances involved do not have to be that long; the mountain pipit of southern Africa breeds in the Drakensberg of South Africa and migrates north only as far as Angola and Zambia. Migration is usually undertaken in groups, and may happen both during the day and at night. There is some variation in this, for example the Sprague's pipit of North America apparently only migrates by day.
Pipit