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Order: Passeriformes
is the largest order of birds in the Class Aves. It contains over 140 families with 6.500 identified bird species world wide. They are also called perching birds. 3 toes point forward, 1 backwards called hallux and is long. This is called anisodactyl arrangement. This toe constellation makes it easier to hold on to a branch, twig, wire or blade of grass.

A further adaptation for perching is a tendon running on the rear side of the leg to the underside of the toes is attached to the muscle behind the Tibiotarsus (the large bone between femur and tarsometatarsus). This makes their feet curl automatically once the leg is bent and becomes stiff when landing on a branch. So they can sleep without falling down and using valuable energy. More

Passerines are mostly insectivorous or omnivorous meaning feeding on insects, small vertebrates, fruits, seeds and nectar. Omnivorous birds change to more carnivorous during breeding season. Plant material has less protein which is required for the chicks to grow fast and strong.

The name Passeriformes derives from Greek – Passer = Sparrow, Formis = shape. They originated in the Southern Hemisphere around 60 Mio years ago.
Most Passerines have 12 tail feathers.

The eggs are coloured in most species. The number of eggs vary from species to species. The chicks are altricial meaning they hedge blind, without feathers and are helpless. They have reflexes to sense when a parent is landing and open their beak wide to get fed. The beak is fringed with yellow skin to signal the feeding parent where to place food.

Family Motacillidae – Wagtails, Pipits and Longclaws

The family has around 70 species in 5 genera.

Most members in the family Motacillidae are ground feeding and insectivorous. The have slender bodies and are medium seized from 14 to 17 cm length. Both sexes have the same seize.

Since the various genera of Wagtails, Pipits and Longclaws have different distribution ranges, habits and demands to their habitat we describe each genus.
Special in the members of this family is that the tertials (flight feathers) on the wing entirely cover the primary flight feathers.

The bill is long, slender, slightly curved and pointed. There is hardly any sexual dimorphism.

Wagtails – genus Motacilla

As the name says they constantly move the tail up and down no matter if they walk or stand still. Some Wagtails are migrants like the White Wagtail or Yellow Wagtail, some are resident birds. They can be found from sea level up to 3.000 m. Often they are found in rivers standing on stones or wood, near water bodies or after rain also in gardens where they pick insects. Some even run after their prey and that pretty fast. The nest is built on the ground and both parents raise the chicks.

Several Wagtail species are split into a good number of subspecies. Not all of them are found in Africa. We will indicate which Wagtail species is found in East Africa. The genus found in Africa is Motacilla. 

Longclaws are mainly yellow birds with conspicuous colours on their throat. The characteristic and what gave them the name is the really long hind claw. 

The genus Macronyx = Longclaw is endemic to Africa.

They catch insects on the ground and on bushes. The nest with up to 4 speckled eggs is on the ground. Some Longclaws have restricted distribution areas. Endangered is Sharpe’s Longclaw with far below 20.000 individuals in parts of Central and Western Kenya. It isn’t registered outside Kenya. We know where to find it.

The Golden Pipit / Tmetothylacus tenellus is the only one in this genus but belongs also to the family Motacillidae.

Pipits are usually brownish birds which look very alike making identification sometimes challenging. Several species are split into subspecies. World wide are about 40 species in the genus Anthus.

They are small seized birds 16 – 21 cm – with medium to long tails. Some of them have a very erect pose on a small elevation. They are territorial as Longclaws. Their diet consists of insects of different kind which they catch on the ground. Pipits are monogamous. Few species are migrants. They look a bit like larks but are standing more upright and have white outer feathers on their tail. They sing from the ground, elevated places or from a branch.

To give you as actual information as possible we use Avibase, the books “Birds of Africa South of the Sahara”, “Birds of East Africa”, “Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania”. Then we put the most characteristic information to the photo.

You can also follow us on Facebook “Bird photography Safaris Kenya” and see the numerous species as well as the beautiful photos from Lorenzo Barelli.
Click on the photo for larger view. The names of the photographers are on the photo and in the text. Without the generosity of several amazing bird photographers it had not been possible to create the pages with so many illustrated bird species. Those photos without name are from Elvira Wolfer.

Here you find samples of our birding safaris. Most of the members of the family Motacillidae are widespread so you have good chances to find several species. The exemptions are mentioned where we describe the species.