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Tree Pipits are a small member of the genus Anthus. Their plumage is highly cryptic. The front is light-buff to grey, with brown streaks, mostly on the chest, but also on the sides. The streaks on the sides are thinner than those on the front. The belly, vent and undertail coverts are light-buff. The lores, eyebrows and eye-rings are also light-buff. The crown and the back, including the tail, are mostly greyish-brown, with darker streaking in particular on the mantle and with dark brownish-grey flight feathers with lighter-brown edge lining, which is most prominent on the upperwing coverts. The eyes have dark-brown irises. The slender bill has an upper mandible that is near-black and much darker than the lower, horn- to flesh-coloured one. The legs and feet are pale orange-brown.

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Tree Pipit is available HERE .

There are 2 races of Tree Pipits, namely nominate race "trivialis", and race "haringtoni", both of which are long-distance migrants. Race "trivialis" is by far the most wide-spread, breeding from much of Europe into mid-latitude western and central Asia. They can also be found around the coastline of the Black Sea, along the Caucasus and along the southern coastal fringe of the Caspian Sea. The European and parts of the western Asian populations winter in sub-Saharan Africa and much of eastern Africa (except the eastern coastal fringe). On passage, Tree Pipits, race "trivialis", can also be found using the flight path across the eastern fringe of the Arabian peninsula, through Oman and Yemen. Some Tree Pipits stay and spend the winters in eastern Arabia. Race "haringtoni" is found as a breeding migrant only in two areas in southern central Asia. They, and the eastern Asian population of race "trivialis" winter in northern and central India. For details see Wikipedia .

In Europe Tree Pipits of nominate race "trivialis" are found as breeding migrants. They are present over much of the continent, from northern Spain, Britain (but not Ireland/Northern Ireland), France, the Benelux countries, Germany and Denmark eastwards into Asia. Areas where they are not found are Spain, except the far North, the Cote Azure, lowland Italy, lowland south-eastern Europe and much of Greece. They are also absent from the Mediterranean islands.

Tree Pipits have a preference for open country with scattered shrubs and trees. However, they do not stay in areas where grass is too short. On passage they use commercial crops more than during the rest of the year. Outside the breeding season they have a preference for open country, including commercial crops, with scattered trees, including acacia shubs in savannah, or the edges of open woodland.

Race "trivialis"