Streaking in front

Several of my guests have sent in photos of pipits lately asking me to confirm the identity. Invariably they have been Meadow Pipits. Tree Pipit appears to be a confusion species. A check of ‘Collins’ bird guide will give a summary of the main difference in features but the following photograph I took of a Tree Pipit on a birding tour recently gives a good illustration of the main difference. Take a look at the streaking on the breast compared with the flank. The streaking on the breast is ‘drawn’ with a B6 pencil whereas the flank streaking is more like what a H6 pencil would produce. The streaking on Meadow Pipit is of a uniform thickness throughout.