| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Length: | 15cm |
| Wingspan: | 26cm |
| Weight: | 24g |
This streaky brown bird is a summer visitor to Britain, favouring open woodlands in the north and west.
About
Tree pipits are summer visitors to the UK, spending the winter in sub-Saharan Africa. They return to the UK between mid March and early May. As the name suggests, they are usually found around trees - particularly in glades of open woodlands, clearings in conifer plantations, and on heathlands with scattered trees.
They sing from treetops, letting out an enthusiastic chain of buzzing trills and descending scales. Often they'll launch into the air and sing in flight, parachuting back down on stiff wings, into the top branches of a tree. They nest on the ground, building a cup of dry grass that's often tucked into the base of a grassy tussock, or hidden under dead bracken or other low vegetation. In autumn, they head south again, migrating both at night and during the day. Their buzzing 'spihz' calls can sometimes be heard as they pass overhead.
Tree pipits have declined dramatically since the 1970s, earning them a place on the Red List of UK birds. However, whilst the populations in England (particularly the lowlands) and Wales have seen big declines, the numbers in Scotland have increased. It's thought that changes in forest structure are playing a role in their decline, though as long-distance migrants, issues on their migration route and their wintering grounds could also play their part.
How to identify
A small, streaky brown bird. It has a sandy brown back with darker lines running down it. Its breast and flanks are buff with black streaks - bold on the breast but finer on the flanks. Its belly is whiter, without any streaking, contrasting strongly with the darker flanks and breast. It has pink legs and a strong bill with a pink base.
Tree pipits look very similar to meadow pipits, but meadow pipits have bolder streaks on their flanks and less contrast in colour between the belly and the breast/flanks. They also have a more slender bill and a longer hindclaw than tree pipits.
One of the best ways of separating the similar pipits is by call. Meadow pipits give a weak, high-pitched 'ist', sometimes in a series, whilst tree pipits call with a buzzy 'spihz'.
Did you know?
Cuckoos will sometimes lay an egg in a tree pipit's nest, leaving the pipit to raise their young.