Tree Pipit

Above: Tree Pipit.
Below: Meadow Pipit.

Unlike the common and resident meadow pipit, the very similar tree pipit is a summer visitor to our shores. They start to arrive as early as March and the last have headed south again by October. They are found in open woodland and heaths with some trees and bushes. They are particularly fond of young conifer plantations. Don't let the name 'tree pipit' fool you into thinking that they are exclusively woodland birds. They can often turn up in the same habitat as meadow pipits especially when on migration. They do however, generally settle down in slightly different habitat to the meadow pipits, plus they have a different call and, as we shall see in a minute, there is one way to distinguish the two species by sight, if you get a clear view.

The tree pipit has a warm buff brown cleanly streaked back, wings, tail and crown. The tail also having white outer edges. They have a yellowish buff upper breast heavily streaked with black. This streaking extends down to the white belly and onto the buff washed flanks. The lower belly and vent are plain white. They have a pale, almost white chin and legs that are pale flesh pink and the beak is pale yellowish or even pinkish.

This description could just as well be used to describe a meadow pipit. So what's the difference? Well the meadow pipit has a ridiculously long hind claw, a lot longer than the tree pipit's. However the tree pipit's is quite long and this isn't a good clue unless you can see the claw and you'd probably also need a meadow pipit nearby to compare it with. The best clue is the streaking on the flanks. On the meadow pipit the black flank streaks are pretty even in thickness when compared to the other streaks on the breast. In the tree pipit however the flank streaks are reduced to just thin lines. You can see this difference clearly in the two photos of the tree pipit (above left) and the meadow pipit (below left).

So where to go to see these birds? Well on passage they are often reported at Hilbre island and at the Great Orme, Llandudno but here it may be possible to mix them up with the many resident meadow pipits. Better to wait till the migration has stopped and try the woodland (especially young conifer plantations) around Grizedale Forest in Cumbria, Coombes Valley in Staffordshire, the Goyt Valley in Derbyshire and Cloccaenog Forest in Clwyd. Other similar habitat in the North West might also prove reliable.

My favourite is the Goyt Valley in June. At this time these birds can still be found perched openly and singing on the tops of small conifers and other trees. I have found them easy to approach, at least close enough for some reasonable shots without unduly disturbing them. The usual rule of slow movement applying, as with all birds.