The Plain-backed Pipit occurs across sub-Saharan Africa and searches for food on the ground in open grassland and similar habitats. The nominate subspecies in southern Africa has an inconspicuously streaked back.
The nominate subspecies shown from southern Africa has a fairly dark brown back without obvious streaks; its outer tail feathers are buff rather than white.
It walks on the ground in short grassland and scrub, searching for insects and their larvae. When standing, it may pump its tail deliberately.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.