Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) is a streaked brown pipit with pale underparts, a strong face pattern and a relatively short curved hind claw. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds in open woodland and scrub across Eurasia, feeds on insects and seeds on the ground, nests among vegetation and migrates long distances to Africa and southern Asia. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).