African Wildlife and Environment Issue 72

BIRDING

YELLOW-THROATED LONGCLAW

This is the most widespread longclaw in Africa. Outside of the tropics, it tends to be restricted to warm, low lying or coastal regions. In size and appearance, it has a great similarity to the Eastern and Western Meadowlarks of North America, but our longclaw lacks the singing virtuosity of the Meadowlark and is in an entirely different family of birds.

The Late Willie Froneman

T he Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus (R 728; ‘Geelkeelkalkoentjie’ in Afrikaans) has an elongated hind-toe claw, from which the ‘longclaw’ takes its name. The claw averages 21mm in length and does, of course, serve a function. It enables a longclaw to walk on top of rank grass by straddling several grass blades at once, thus distributing its 45 to 50 gram weight on enough supporting material. The long hind claw is however, something of a hindrance when the bird attempts to perch on a slender twig or branch. The birds are much more at home in and on grass, the ground or other hard surfaces, such as a termite mound, on which they perch to sun themselves when the grass is wet. Sexes are alike, the female slightly duller in colour. It is a large yellow-breasted longclaw with black streaking below a black breast band, which extends up the side of the neck, encircling a yellow throat. The forehead to nape is a buffy brown colour, with the feather centres darker, giving a streaked effect. The upper parts of the longclaw are a greyish brown, lightly streaked. Wing primaries are dark olive-brown, upper wing coverts dark olive-brown with pale fringes. Chin, throat, malar region, and fore neck are a deep lemon yellow, enclosed by a black necklace. The sides of the upper breast of this species are a creamy yellow, with the lower breast and belly deep lemon yellow. The flanks and undertail coverts of the Yellow Longclaw are yellow-buff. The tail is dark olive brown with white tips to outer tail feathers. Finally, the upper mandible of the beak is blackish, lower mandible paler, eyes dark brown, and legs and feet pale brown to dull yellow. The Yellow-throated Longclaw is a common resident in grassland, adjoining freshwater areas, coastal estuaries and lagoons, and also in well grassed savanna woodland away from water. Their call is a loud, whistled “ phooooeeet “ or series of loud whistles, frequently uttered from a perch or on

Photographs: Albert Froneman

44 |

45 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 72