Yellow-throated Longclaw

Macronyx croceus

Open woodland. Above eyebrows and feather edges yellow; below yellow with black gorget.

Not Endemic

Description

Common resident. Differs from Bokmakierie in scalloped brown upper parts and pink-brown legs; cf. that species. Distinguished from [Cape Longclaw] by yellow (not orange) throat; like that species shows broad white tail-tips in flight. Utters a monotonous mewing from the top of a bush ‘triooo, triooo, trroo-chit-chit, trroo-chit-chit-trroo-chit’ and sings in flight. A terrestrial species. Occurs singly or in pairs in moist grassland with scattered trees.

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.