Cape Wagtail

Motacilla capensis

Wetlands and gardens. Greyish wagtail with white throat and upper breast; black breast-band.

Longclaws, Pipits, Wagtails

Not Endemic

Description

Common resident. Shorter-tailed than [Grey Wagtail] and [Mountain Wagtail] and greyer than other wagtails. Northern races (b) have breast-band absent or vestigial. Call is a loud, cheerful ‘tseep-eep’ or ‘tseeep’. Occurs singly or in pairs near water, in suburban gardens, cities and at sewage works. Walks about feeding on the ground, occasionally wagging its tail. If disturbed, will perch briefly on a tree, wall, fence or building. Tame and confiding.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Small, insectivorous terrestrial birds, water-associated in wagtails. The sexes are alike or closely similar, all with white or buff outer tail-feathers. Pipits are among the most difficult birds to identify in the field. Reliable identification relies on careful observation of the coloration of bare parts (influenced by blood circulation), as well as proportions, calls, tail-wagging, behaviour and subtle plumage differences. Nevertheless, it is often impossible to confidently identify pipits to species level. Most pipits utter a ‘chissik' or ‘chip' call on take-off, their flight low and dipping. Longclaws are large, colourful pipits, while wagtails are mostly well known because of their confiding and friendly behaviour. Wagtails (and many pipits) have the habit of continually bobbing their tails up and down.