- Hemimacronyx chloris
Anthus chloris
Alternative name: Yellowbreasted Pipit
Identification
Length 16-18 cm, 25 g
Breeding adult: Similar to the common African Pipit, but with a pale face and lemon-yellow underparts. Upperparts buffy brown, spotted and streaked with dark brown. The eyebrows and outer tail are white, and the yellow breast is lightly streaked black.
Non-breeding adult: Pale buffy brown below, with central belly yellowish.
Distribution
Locally common altitudinal migrant of the montane (>1800 m) grassland of the Stormberg and Drakensberg escarpments of southeastern South Africa and Lesotho, migrating to lower altitudes in winter.
Taxonomy
Has been placed in genus Anthus by some authorities (e.g. [3]). However, reference [4] shows it aligns genetically with other longclaws.
Subspecies
Clements regards this as a monotypic species [1].
Habitat
Montane grassland when breeding and lowland grassland and bushveld when not breeding.
Behaviour
Solitary or in pairs when breeding; otherwise in small flocks.
Diet
Forages on the ground for insects. Flushes reluctantly, preferring to remain behind cover on the ground when disturbed.
Breeding
November to January. Nests are well-hidden under grass tufts; they are cups of dry grass lined with rootlets. Three eggs are laid.
Males sing in display flights or from a perch.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Pietersen D.W., McKechnie A.E., Jansen R., Little I.T., Bastos, A.D.S. 2018. Multi-locus phylogeny of African pipits and longclaws (Aves: Motacillidae) highlights taxonomic inconsistencies. Ibis Vol. 161(4): 781-792. doi: 10.iiii/ibi.12683
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Yellow-breasted Pipit. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-breasted_Pipit
