Tree Pipit (Anthus) [XC894728]
by Christian Kerihuel from Xinzo, Bri\u00f3n, A Coru\u00f1a, Galicia, Spain (song, perched song)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) [XC829380]
by Juha Saari from Feuguerolles-Bully (Feuguerolles bourg), Calvados, Normandie, France (flight call, nocturnal flight call)
Nest
A shallow cup composed of grass, leaves and moss, on the ground, lined with fine grass and hair.
Eggs (Guide)
2 - 6; smooth, glossy, very variable in color and markings.
Subspecies
Appears to be very closely related to Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni). Eastern populations, slightly larger in size and paler in colour, with larger chest streaks and less pointed wing than nominate, sometimes treated as subspecies sibiricus, but variation evidently clinal. Similarly, proposed subspecies salomonseni (from Scotland) and differens (north-eastern Turkey) included in nominate. Described subspecies burzil (Kashmir) considered indistinguishable from haringtoni.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
trivialis (Linnaeus, 1758) - Breeds from northern and western Europe (except Iceland and Ireland) east to LBaikal and middle R Aldan (possibly to upper R Kolyma) and, in south, from northern Mediterranean and northern Turkey east to Transcaucasus and northern Iran. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa and in India.
schlueteri Kleinschmidt, 1920 - Breeds in mountains from eastern Kazakhstan and north-western China (Tarbagatay and Dzungharskiy Alatau) south to Tien Shan and eastern Afghanistan. Winters in central India.
haringtoni Witherby, 1917 - Breeds north-western Himalayas (Kashmir east to Garhwal). Winters in Indian Subcontinent.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet