New Zealand Pipit

19 cm, 40 g. Like Skylark, including white outer tail feathers, but more slender and has the distinctive habit of frequently flicking its long tail up and down. Head and upperparts brown, streaked darker; prominent white eyebrow; underparts whitish, streaked brown on breast. Runs and walks jerkily on long legs; often flies a short distance ahead, calling a shrill ''scree'' or drawn-out ''zwee''. Habitat: Open habitats from coast to alpine tops, but avoids intensively farmed areas; mainly near coast, on shingle riverbeds, gravel roads, and scree slopes. Breeding: Aug-Mar.