Yellow-breasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris Scientific name definitions

16–18 cm; male 24–25.6 g, two females 25.3 g and 25.8 g. Unmistakable. In breeding plumage has narrow yellowish supercilium, with lores and ear-coverts streaked rich brown, whitish area below eye, thin blackish moustachial stripe; top of head and mantle blackish-brown, feathers edged yellowish-olive, giving effect of broad streaking; nape, rump and uppertail coverts more gray; remiges and upperwing coverts blackish-brown with narrow yellow, whitish or buff edgings; rectrices blackish-brown, edged buff, T5 tipped white on inner web, T6 almost entirely white; chin to upper belly bright yellow, brownish tinge on flanks, usually finely streaked brown on upper breast; lower belly to undertail coverts grayish-white; greater underwing-coverts blackish with white tips, lesser underwing-coverts and axillaries yellow; iris dark brown; bill dark horn, yellowish base of lower mandible; legs yellowish-mauve, hind claw long and weak. In non-breeding plumage, lores and ear-coverts more uniform warm buffish brown, moustachial stripe indistinct, feathers of upperparts edged warm buffish brown, chin and throat pale buffish brown, breast warm buffish and finely streaked brown, centre of belly yellow. Sexes alike. Immature is blackish-brown above, streaked creamy buff on head, scalloped on mantle and back, with tertials and upperwing coverts broadly and sharply edged creamy buff, buff below, breast more dusky and finely streaked brown, belly center slightly yellow-washed; resembles young Orange-throated Longclaw (Macronyx capensis), but has outer tail feathers white rather than white-tipped.

See comments under Sharpe's Longclaw (Macronyx sharpei). Previously placed in genus Anthus, with Macronyx sharpei, a treatment still preferred by some authors. Placement in present genus supported genetically (1 Voelker, G. and Edwards, S.V. (1998). Can weighting improve bushy trees? Models of cytochrome b evolution and the molecular systematics of pipits and wagtails (Aves: Motacillidae). Syst. Biol. 47(4): 589–603. Close ).

Drakensberg in South Africa (Mpumalanga and western KwaZulu-Natal south to northeastern Eastern Cape and extreme southeastern Free State) and, marginally, east and south Lesotho.

In breeding season restricted to areas of flat or undulating submontane grassland at 1,400–2,400 m; favors lush grassland with tussocks, and commonest in the least heavily grazed sites. In non-breeding period, also at lower elevations on grassland such as pastures and fallow land or in bush savanna.

Resident and partial short-distance migrant. Some descend to lowlands in austral winter (April–September), a few moving east to Swaziland and coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape; formerly recorded also in Vaal Basin west to North-east Province (west to Potchefstroom). An old record from south Western Cape (Swellendam).

Diet consists of insects, including mantids (Mantodea) and small beetles (Coleoptera).

Vocal Development

No documentation.

Vocal Array

Song. A very short phrase "see-chik" repeated at regular intervals without any changes in phrase composition. Phrase consists of a high rather flat-pitched sibilant "see" note at ca. 7 kHz followed by a snapping metallic "chik" (on sonogram visible as several elements and having a large frequency range), with a total duration of ca. 0.3 s. Intervals between phrases about 1.5‒3 s.

Chik-chik-chik. A rapid continuous stuttered series of sparrow-like "chik" notes. Note duration ca. 0.05 s with energy concentrated between 2 and 7 kHz, pace of series variable but typically 6‒9 notes/s. Series may last 10 seconds or more.

Tseeu. A short downslurred whistled note. On sonogram has a duration of ca. 0.18 s and drops from 4.5 kHz to 1.5 kHz. Repeated a few times with intervals of 2 s or more.

Tsu-eet! An underslurred note with emphasis towards the end. On sonogram has a duration of ca. 0.25 s, minimum frequency of ca. 2.3 kHz and maximum frequency of ca. 4.3 kHz.

Geographic Variation

None documented, and available recordings do not indicate any significant difference in song between the northern and southern end of its (rather small) range.

Phenology

Sound recordings of song are available from late September to mid February, corresponding to the breeding season. There are no recordings available of any vocalization outside this period, and vocal behaviour outside the breeding season is largely unknown.

Daily Pattern of Vocalizing

Song is mainly heard at dawn and early morning.

Places of Vocalizing

Typically sings from a perch slightly higher than the grass level, such as stones, termite mounds, tussocks, small heaps of earth, but also small shrubs when available. Also sings during a display flight, in which it climbs to 20‒25 m with floppy wingbeats, after which it cruises for about 100 m and finally dives vertically into the grass (2 Vernon, C.J. (1983). Notes from the border. 11. Glimpses of unfamiliar birds: Yellow-breasted Pipit. Bee-eater. 10(Suppl.): 4-6. Close ).

Sex Differences

No information.

Repertoire and Delivery of Songs

Song is very simple, but nevertheless there are many phrase variants, with especially the final "chik" having many alternatives. It is not clear however, how many of such variants a single individual may have.

Social Content and Presumed Functions of Vocalizations

Song from perch or in display flight most likely for territorial defense. "Chik-chik-chik" call is uttered in alarm (3 Keith, G. S., E. K. Urban and C. H. Fry. (1992). The birds of Africa. Vol. 4. London: Academic Press. Close ). Context of other calls unknown.

None documented.

Skulking and furtive, creeping through grass and running across open spaces. Tends to freeze when approached, or to run, keeping behind cover; flushes at last minute and flies away for rather long distance; sometimes less shy.

Territorial, although sometimes several pairs nest close together.

Monogamous. In aerial song display, climbs into air with floppy wingbeats, cruises for ca. 100 m, then dives vertically into grass.

Usually in pairs; small flocks in non-breeding season.

Breeds during November–February (summer rains). Nest a cup of stalks, grass blades and rootlets, lined with fine rootlets and frequently also hair, built on ground under tussock or in grass clump. Sometimes several pairs nest close together. Clutch usually 3 eggs, mean of eight clutches 2.9. Incubation and fledging periods not documented.

VULNERABLE. Restricted-range species: present in South African Grasslands Endemic Bird Area. Localized and generally scarce within range; more common in north than in south. Rare in Lesotho, known only from Sehlabethebe National Park, where ca. 60–80 pairs. Global population estimated at 1,500–5,000 individuals in 1992, but reassessed as between 2,500 and 6,500 in 2000. Occurs in Natal Drakensberg National Park; significant numbers, ca. 30% of total population, occur in proposed grassland biosphere reserve in Wakkerstroom region of southern Mpumalanga and adjacent KwaZulu-Natal. Has undergone range contraction and, probably, population decline as a result of habitat degradation and loss. Threats include overly frequent burning of grassland, and overgrazing and trampling by small livestock. There is a need to maintain low-intensity pastoral farming and to encourage appropriate management of grassland on private land; management practices affect nesting success through influencing the cover, height and density of vegetation; nest success highest in grassland with low-intensity grazing and biannual burning, lowest in heavily grazed, annually burnt plots; nest density; however, found to be highest in lightly grazed, annually burnt plots. Afforestation of montane grasslands an additional major threat, especially in north of range; has been estimated that 50% of the species’ population could be lost through commercial afforestation on grasslands if no conservation action is taken.

Peter Boesman started birding at a young age in his home country of Belgium. He soon birded all over Europe, and shared his bird knowledge by writing articles, co-authoring a book about the birds of Flanders and joining the Belgian Rarities Committee—all while completing his MSc in both Engineering sciences and Music. In the early 90s, he moved to the Neotropics where he developed a special interest in bird sounds. He pioneered sharing bird song recordings by making multimedia productions and his MP3 collections were the reference for many Neotropical countries in the pre-internet days. Back in Belgium, he continues to focus on recording and studying bird sounds, and he has been especially prolific in analyzing bird vocalizations to support taxonomy and identification. Peter has written more than 1,000 voice accounts for Birds of the World, 400+ notes on the vocal distinctiveness of taxa, and several bird sound-related scientific papers. Peter’s entire bird sound collection – about 30,000+ recordings from about half the world’s bird species – are now all available at the Macaulay Library. He continues to provide expert voice accounts for Birds of the World.