8o 



BRITISH NESTING BIRDS 



Food. — Marine insects, worms, and crustaceans; seeds in Winter. 



Voice. — Alarm-note similar to that of the Meadow Pipit. A pleasant 

 little song is uttered in the air. It is of short duration, but 

 very welcome because so few song-birds are found near the 

 haunts of this Pipit. 



Chief Features. — An active, engaging species, and fairly common 

 wherever rocks arc found. It is a resident British bird, and 

 is always worth watching. The Meadow Pipit sometimes visits 

 the shore and cliffs, but cannot be mistaken for this larger bird. 



Plumage. — Greenish-brown above, darker brown on the centre of 

 each feather; over the eye a whitish streak; dull white under- 

 neath, with spots and streaks of dark brown. The hind claw 

 is much curved, and is the same length as the toe. Length. — Six 

 inches and a quarter. 



PIPIT, TREE (Anthus trivialis) 



Local Names. — Field Lark, Field Titling, Grasshopper Lark, La 



Crested Lark, Lesser Field Lark, Lesser Tree Lark, Meadow Lark, 



Meadow Titling, Pipit, Pipit Lark, Short-Heeled Field Lark, 



Tit Lark, Tree Lark. 

 Haunt. — Hedgerows, banks, and fields where there are trees, 



especially oak trees; also f nd of 



perching on telegraph wires. 

 Xcsting Period. — May and June. 

 Site of Nest. — On ground among grass, 



etc.; often on a railway bank. 

 Materials Used. — Grass, roots, wool, moss, 



with a lining of finer grass and a little 



hair. 

 Eggs. — Four to Six. The ground colour 



varies from yellowish - white to 



purplish - red and rich chocolate, 



clouded, streaked, and blotched with 



darker tints. Quite distinct from 



those of the two other British species. 

 Food. — Insects and their larvae, and small 



seeds. 

 Voice. — A very beautiful song is uttered whilst the bird is in the 



air, perched in a tree, or when on the ground. The full charac- 

 teristic song is best listened to, however, when the Tree Pipit 



is going through one of its remarkable flights. 

 ( iiitf l : catures.—'\~\\i' bird has the habit of perching at the top or 



<>n tin- outside branches of a tree, and from such a position 



flings itself into the air. It ascends to a height of several feet 



Fig. 29. Head and Foot 

 of Tree Pipit. 



