The TREE PIPIT (_Anthus arboreus_) so closely resembles the species above
described as very frequently to be mistaken for it. It is, however,
distinguishable by its superior size, the comparative strength of its
beak and tarsi, and the shortness of the much curved centre claw. The
upper part of the body is yellowish brown, or dull brownish green, darkly
spotted in stripes; the rump and under side are of one uniform tint;
a stripe over the eyes, the throat, crop, sides of the breast, legs,
and lower wing-covers, are pale reddish yellow; the crop, upper breast,
and sides, being spotted with black. The stripes on the wings and edges
of the shoulder-feathers are lighter than in the plumage of the Meadow
Pipit. The eye is brown, the beak greyish black, and the foot reddish
grey. The body is six inches and a half long, and ten and three-quarters
broad; the wing measures three inches and a quarter, and the tail two
inches and a half. The female is considerably smaller than her mate.
During the summer the Tree Pipits frequent the woodland districts of
Europe and Siberia, and in the winter wander southward as far as the
African steppes and the Himalayas; they usually arrive in England
about the third week in April. In many respects these birds resemble
their congeners, but, unlike most of them, take up their quarters in
well-wooded and cultivated localities, and at once seek shelter in trees
at the approach of danger, and run along the branches with ease. They
are also far less social in their habits, and, except in the autumn,
while still occupied with their young, live alone, or associate but
seldom with the other feathered denizens of their favourite woods and
groves. The song of the Tree Pipit far exceeds in its quality that of
most other species; indeed, some of its loud, clear tones will bear
comparison with those of the Canary. The male sings almost incessantly
from sunrise to sunset, until the end of June, and pours out his lay from
the point of some projecting branch, from whence he rises into the air,
and after hovering for a short time slowly descends and finishes his
song upon the perch he had just left. The nest is placed in a hollow in
the ground, or carefully concealed in grass and clumps of plants; it is
very clumsily built, only the interior being arranged with anything like
neatness or care. The four or five eggs vary considerably both in form
and colour, the tints being either reddish, greyish, or blueish white,
spotted, mottled, or streaked with a darker shade. The female sits with
such devotion that she often will not quit her eggs unless driven from
the spot. The young are most tenderly reared by the exertions of both
parents, and quit the nest before they are able to fly.
[Illustration: THE TREE PIPIT (_Anthus arboreus_).]
"The Tree Pipit," says Mr. Yarrell, "is a summer visitor to this country,
arriving about the third week in April, and frequents the enclosed and
wooded districts of England. It is not uncommon around London, and I
have observed it frequently in the highly-cultivated and wooded parts
of Kent. The male has a pretty song, perhaps more attractive from the
manner in which it is given than the quality of the song itself. He
generally sings while perched on the top of a bush, or one of the upper
branches of an elm-tree, standing in a hedgerow, from which, if watched
for a short time, he will be seen to ascend on quivering wing about as
high again as the tree, then, stretching out his wings and expanding his
tail, he descends slowly by a half-circle, singing the whole time, to
the branch from which he started, or the top of the nearest other tree;
and, so constant is this habit with him, that if the observer does not
approach too near to alarm him, the bird may be seen to perform this
same evolution twenty times in half an hour, and I have witnessed it
most frequently during and after a warm May shower." "The Tree Pipit,"
continues Mr. Yarrell, "is found in all the wooded and cultivated
districts of the southern counties of England, but is seldom met with
in open unenclosed country. It is comparatively rare in Cornwall; not
very numerous in either North or South Wales; and some doubts are still
entertained whether it extends its range to Ireland."
[Illustration: THE ROCK PIPIT (_Anthus petrosus_).]
In a communication from Mr. Weir (who observed the birds in East Lothian)
to Mr. Macgillivray, he says:--"The Tree Pipits generally make their
appearance here about the beginning of May, and frequent the woods. They
perch upon the highest branches of a tree, from which they ascend into
the air, uttering a twittering note at each extension of the wings. They
send forth their song during their descent, which they perform with wings
extended and tail erected, till they again reach the tree, where they
continue a short time after perching, and then descend to the ground in
the same manner. They generally build their nests in plantations, at the
root of a tree, and amongst long grass. It is very difficult to discover
them, as they are so cunningly concealed, and as the birds generally
run several yards from them before they mount into the air. The nest in
which I caught the old ones being in a park grazed by cattle, and very
near a plantation, afforded me an excellent opportunity of observing
their motions. When they fed their young ones, which they did with flies,
caterpillars, and worms, they always alighted at the distance of twenty
or thirty feet from their nests, cowering, and making zig-zag windings,
and now and then putting up their heads and looking around them with
the greatest anxiety and circumspection. They are seldom met with in my
neighbourhood; and, in the long space of fourteen years, I have seen only
two or three of their nests."
"The Indian Tree Pipit," says Jerdon, "is very similar to its European
congener, but appears to differ slightly. It is found over all India
in the cold season, for it is a winter visitant, only coming early in
October and departing about the end of April. It frequents gardens,
groves, thin tree jungle, also occasionally grain-fields, beds of woody
streams, &c. It is social in its habits, many birds being generally found
together. It usually feeds on the ground on various insects, and also on
seeds, but, on being disturbed, flies up at once to the nearest tree.
It now and then feeds on trees, hopping about the upper branches, and
occasionally snapping at an insect on the wing. It is said by the natives
to kill many mosquitoes, hence many of its native names. Mr. Blyth says
he has seen small parties of these birds flying over their haunts, in
a restless unsettled way, now and then alighting on a tree, uttering a
slight chirp, and continuing this till nearly dark. The flesh of this
species is used by falconers as a restorative to the Bhagri, and is said
to be very delicate. It is taken in numbers for the table in Bengal and
elsewhere, and sold as Ortolan."