This bird is a true migrant, reaching our shores during the latter half of April and leaving us again in September. The males arrive, as is the case with so many species, a few days before the hens, and on their arrival nest-building is begun without further delay. The site chosen is on the ground in the middle of an open field and generally near some upturned sod or in the deep footprints of the cattle. A few grass stems loosely laid together and lined with horsehair suffices for a nest, and the eggs, five to six in number, are of a pale clay-brown with no spots or markings. The birds are very shy when at the nest, leaving it long before the intruder has approached, and only running on again when he is well away. The young are fed exclusively on insects, and when they are fledged remain in their summer home till shorter days and colder nights warn them that autumn has come. Old and young then collect in enormous numbers in the salt marshes along the sea-shore, until with favourable weather they pass on to warmer and more congenial climes.
The male above is of a uniform bright greenish yellow, with a yellow eye stripe; under parts bright lemon yellow. Females and young are similar but duller, the latter sometimes showing in autumn some dark spots on the breast. Length 6·25 in.; wing 3·15 in.
This bird is distributed in suitable localities throughout England, with the exception of the extreme south-west. In Wales it is chiefly seen on migration, and in Ireland it is only found nesting in a few places. In Scotland it does not nest north of Perthshire, and to the north of the Great Glen it is only a rare straggler. Abroad it is confined to North-west France and the Iberian peninsula, wandering in winter to West Africa.
THE TREE PIPIT
Anthus trivialis (Linnæus)
TREE PIPIT
Anthus trivialis
(left)
MEADOW PIPIT
Anthus pratensis
(right)
Arriving in April with our other summer visitors, the Tree Pipit may be found fairly commonly throughout England and Scotland, but becomes scarcer in the north. It has not yet been known to visit Ireland. It may be heard singing its pretty little song near the outskirts of woods, or in fields bordered by trees. This is usually uttered on the wing when, having sprung some distance into the air, it descends with fluttering wings and open tail to the same perch on the top of the tree from which it started. Most of its food is sought on the ground, and consists almost entirely of insects. The nest is placed in the middle of a field, or more preferably in some bank or railway cutting, and is composed of roots and bents with a little moss and lined with finer bents and hair. The eggs are generally six in number and vary considerably, the commonest variety being greenish white with bold blurred markings of dark brown at their larger end, another variety resembles this in markings but is suffused with reddish, while a third variety is uniformly and closely mottled with reddish brown.
In appearance, though not in habits, this bird somewhat resembles a lark. The upper parts are sandy brown with dark brown streaks, the wing coverts darker with conspicuous pale edging to the median ones. Chin white, breast and flanks buff with darker markings, rest of under parts white. Tail feathers dark brown except the two outer pairs, which show a considerable amount of white. Hind claw short and curved. The sexes are alike, but the female is slightly smaller. The young are rather more spotted. Length 6 in.; wing 3·3 in.
Common in England and south of Scotland, rather scarcer in Wales and rare in North Scotland. Does not visit Ireland.