TREE-PIPIT. 113 



the Tree-Pipit is a common bird, but in Ireland it is only 

 known as a rare visitor on passage. Tiiick woods do not 

 attract it, but parks, the outskirts of woods or hill-sides where 

 there is plenty of timber are favourite haunts ; on the bare hills 

 and moorlands the Meadow-Pipit replaces it. In Wales I 

 found it nesting up to 1200 feet and slightly overlapping the 

 breeding area of the Meadow-Pipit, but as a rule the two birds 

 divide the land between them. In general appearance the two 

 are much alike, but the Tree is larger, and has a much shorter 

 and more curved hind claw, well suited for its arboreal habits. 

 One of our later migrants, it seldom reaches England before 

 the first week of April, and, travelling slowly, is often unnoticed 

 in the north until the third or last week ; the rush is frequently 

 in the first week of May, when its arrival is heralded by its 

 characteristic flight and song. Both Tree- and Meadow- Pipit 

 have a shuttlecock flight, mounting up rapidly for twenty feet 

 or more, trilling gaily, then, after a few moments of hovering 

 flight, descending, still singing, with wings and tail outspread. 

 But whereas the Meadow-Pipit makes these aerial excursions 

 from the ground and returns to the ground, the Tree-Pipit 

 starts from the topmost branches of a tree and usually descends 

 to the same perch. The song of the Tree is far superior to 

 that of the Meadow and ends with a number of deliberately 

 repeated rather plaintive notes, see-e)\ see-er, see-er, the last 

 of which are often uttered after the bird has settled. The song 

 period usually ends about the middle of July, but I have heard 

 it, though rarely, in August ; by the end of September most of 

 the birds have departed. The alarm note, an anxious /c-f/, is 

 uttered continually when the neighbourhood of the nest is 

 invaded. Like other pipits it is insectivorous, though seed 

 is occasionally eaten. 



The nest, always on the ground (End paper 4) is often con- 

 cealed under dead bracken or other vegetation, and is seldom far 

 from a forest tree, from which the male soars singing at 



Series I. I 



