- Macronyx capensis
Identification
Length 19-20 cm, mass 46 g. Male: The crown and nape are mottled light and dark brown and the ear coverts and sides of the neck are paler. The eyebrow is orange. Upperparts are light brown, streaked darker. The throat is bright orange, separated from the bright yellow underparts by a bold black collar. The tail is brown and white, the white being conspicuous in flight. Female: Similar to the male, but the throat is paler and the collar narrower. Juvenile: Buffy to dull orange-yellow below, with a band of spots forming an inconspicuous collar.
The alarm call is a loud cat-like "meew".
Distribution
Southern Africa: South-western, extreme southern, and eastern South Africa, Lesotho, western Swaziland, and Zimbabwe highlands.
Taxonomy
There are three subspecies: M. c. capensis from south-western and extreme southern South Africa (described above); M. c. colletti from eastern South Africa and western Swaziland has upperparts that are more rufous and less grey than the nominate, and underparts less streaked; M. c. stabilor from the Zimbabwe highlands has darker back, wings and tail than the nominate, and underparts that are similar to M. c. colletti.
Habitat
Moist, short grassland and short fynbos.
Behaviour
Usually in pairs. Forages in short grass for invertebrates and, to a lesser extent, seeds.
References
Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 0620340533
