Tree Pipit

The Tree Pipit, Anthus trivialis, is a modestly adorned avian, cloaked in streaks of brown with black markings adorning its white underbelly and a buff breast. Its bill, more robust than that of its kin, and the contrast between its buff breast and white belly are distinguishing features. This species is known to alight upon the boughs of trees with greater frequency than its relative, the Meadow Pipit.

Identification Tips

To identify the Tree Pipit, look for a small bird with a heavy bill and a distinct contrast between its buff breast and white belly. Its upperparts are streaked brown, and it has black markings on its underparts. The Tree Pipit can be differentiated from the slightly smaller Meadow Pipit by these characteristics.

Habitat

The Tree Pipit favors open woodlands and scrublands for its breeding grounds. It thrives in open woodland adjacent to moorland or in oak woodlands with a spacious structure, requiring significant thinning to achieve a desirable open character.

Distribution

This species breeds across most of Europe and the Palearctic, reaching as far east as the East Siberian Mountains. It is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa and southern Asia.

Behaviour

The Tree Pipit is known for its distinctive song flight, where it ascends from a tree and descends in a parachute-like fashion on stiff wings, with its song elongating towards the end. Its call, a robust 'spek', sets it apart from the weaker calls of its relatives.

Song & Calls

The Tree Pipit's call is a strong 'spek'. Its song is delivered during a unique flight pattern, where the bird rises from a tree and then descends on stiff wings, the song becoming more protracted as it nears the end of its display.

Breeding

The Tree Pipit constructs its nest on the ground, hidden amongst grass or heather tussocks, with the female solely responsible for the nest building. The clutch, consisting of 4 to 6 eggs, is incubated by the female and hatches after 12 to 14 days. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after a similar period. The species is occasionally targeted by the Common Cuckoo for brood parasitism.

Similar Species

The Meadow Pipit is similar in appearance but can be distinguished by its smaller size and less pronounced bill. The contrast between the buff breast and white belly is also less marked in the Meadow Pipit.

Diet and Feeding

The Tree Pipit is primarily insectivorous, feasting on a variety of invertebrates, but it does not shun seeds and other plant material. It forages mostly on the ground, in search of its prey.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Tree Pipit as Least Concern, indicating that, currently, there are no immediate threats to its population on a global scale.