Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis) [XC788897]
by Derek Solomon from 12 Willeton Road (near Makhanda), Western District, Eastern Cape, South Africa (song)
Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis) [XC523664]
by Franz Lindinger from Aloe Canyons area, Swellendam Local Municipality, Overberg District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa (call)
Subspecies
Sometimes thought to form a superspecies with Madagascar Wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris). Both also suggested as comprising a superspecies with Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) and Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola), but such a relationship is not supported by recent molecular-genetic studies.
Subspecies simplicissima sometimes treated as a separate species. Proposed subspecies bradfieldi (from western Namibia) and beirensis (southern Mozambique) included in nominate.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
wellsi Ogilvie-Grant, 1911 - Eastern DRCongo east to south-western Uganda and north-western Tanzania, and western and central Kenya.
simplicissima Neumann, 1929 - Angola east to south-eastern DRCongo, south to north-eastern Namibia, northern Botswana and Zambia, and western Zimbabwe (on R Zambezi).
capensis Linnaeus, 1766 - Western and southern Namibia, south-eastern Botswana, much of Zimbabwe and western and southern Mozambique south to southern South Africa.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet