Motacillidae – Longclaws, Pipits & Wagtails

The Motacillidae (Wagtails, Pipits, Longclaws & Allies) are a family of small passerines with medium to long tails. There are around sixty-seven species in six genera and they include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. The family were revised after a molecular phylogenetic study (2019).

The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afro-tropics, and the wagtails are predominantly found in Europe, Africa and Asia, with two species migrating and breeding in Alaska. The pipits have the most cosmopolitan distribution, being found across mostly in the Old-World but occurring also in the Americas and oceanic islands such as New Zealand and the Falklands.

Two African species, the Yellow-breasted Pipit and Sharpe’s Longclaw are sometimes placed in a separate genus, Hemimacronyx, which is closely related to the longclaws.

Wagtails, pipits, and longclaws are slender, small to medium-sized passerines, ranging from 14 to 17 centimetres in length, with short necks and long tails.

Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus – ©Dubi Shapiro

They have long, pale legs with long toes and claws, particularly the hind toe which can be up to 4cm in length in some longclaws. There is no sexual dimorphism in size. Overall, the robust longclaws are larger than the pipits and wagtails. Longclaws can weigh as much as 64g, whereas the weight range for pipits and wagtails is 15g – 31 g.

The plumage of most pipits is dull brown and reminiscent of the larks, although some species have brighter plumages, particularly the Golden Pipit of north-east Africa. The adult male longclaws have brightly coloured undersides; reds oranges and yellows. The wagtails often have striking plumage, including grey, black, white, and yellow. The pipets, on the other hand, tend to be browns, tans and sandy colours often being difficult to pick out in bare stoney ground and sun-baked pasture.

White Wagtail Motacilla alba

Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens

Most motacillids are ground-feeding insectivores of slightly open country. They occupy almost all available habitats, from the shore to high mountains, although many prefer grasslands, pastures and prairies. Wagtails prefer wetter habitats to most of the pipits. A few species use forests, including the Forest Wagtail, and other species use forested mountain streams, such as the Grey Wagtail or the Mountain Wagtail.

Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis

They take a wide range of invertebrate prey, especially insects, but also including spiders, worms, and small aquatic molluscs and arthropods. All species seem to be fairly catholic in their diet, and the most commonly taken prey for any particular species or population usually reflects local availability.

With the exception of the Forest Wagtail, they nest on the ground, laying up to six speckled eggs.