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Cape Longclaw


It was taken in the West Coast national Park, there was actually a pair wandering around the car park at Geelbek.

Eich!

It looks a lot different from the Orangethroated Longclaw I regularly see at Rietvlei Nature Reserve!

The body shape and size is a match. The colouring is a lot different!

But then maybe this one is a juvinile, maybe it is a little wet and maybe it is the angle of the photo? Got a nother photo?

it is a very soggy bird, the colouring was actually "picture perfect" Unfortunately I don't have another pic, as a child yelling chased the bird just as I was about to take another

Is this the one you're talking about, proudly displaying its beautiful bright orange throat, Imberbe ?
We often visit Rietvlei Nature Reserve on Sunday mornings for a nice picnic and a drive around the reserve.

I'm sure Jay's pic is of a female and cybeR@NGER's one is of the male. Was at Rietvle this morning and saw plenty that looked like Jay's and even more that looked like cybeR@NGER's.

nice pic cybeR@anger!
and I think you right Snoobab, my bird's markings were identical but slightly duller, helped along by the fact that it was very wet.

Yes! That's more like it! They are quite common around Rietvlei, see them often!

I just went through the Roberts Multimedia Program. They have quite a few photos of the duller example. (Though they do not indicate male / female). Their most colourful specimen definitely do not compare with the photo cybeR@NGER took. It thus seems that there is quite a diversity in this species.

They also mention that the female's throat is not as bright as that of the male. [/quote]

Yep, Orange throated Longclaw.
We also find them in the saltmarsh vegetation in Knysna.
They seem to like the marsh and have been fairly successfull in breeding here.
I saw a Grey Heron take one, probably female, from its nest not so long ago. Heard the little bird complain and started looking. Saw the Heron with screaming lunch in his beak just before it went down forever. First time I saw anything like that.

Pleanty of them at Rietvlei in PTA..

Orangethroated (Cape) Longclaw
Macronyx capensis


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/209 ... e5d321.jpg

Habitat: Moist short grassland, vleis, seasonally flooded grassland.
Food: Insects, some grass seed.
Display: Rises to about 10m above ground, fluttering and singing then drops to grass again. They also sing from perches on low mounds or fences.

Saw a whole bunch at Suikerbosrand on Saturday with JvR

I'm guessing a Immature?

Why is it called the Cape Longclaw, when I have seen them in more places on the Highveld than the one place I saw my only 3 in the Cape?

BB - nobody has answered you? I know it as Orange Throated Longclaw.
Saw this one 7 Aug '11 at Rietvlei. (not SANpark)
.
.

Don't think anyone knows Bobbi.

Which Rietvlei? Nice pic.