Abyssinian Slaty-Flycatcher
Melaenornis chocolatinus
A gray-brown flycatcher endemic to the Abyssinian highlands. Darker on the upperparts and paler below with a distinctive white eye. Found in montane habitats including woodland, forest edge, and lush gardens. Could be confused with African Gray or Pale Flycatchers, but found in different habitats, and easily identified by the pale eye. Found in the same areas as African Dusky Flycatcher, but larger, with a pale eye.
Identification
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher is a rather dingy, nondescript grey brown bird which normally perches with the typical vertical posture of an Old World flycatcher. It has a yellow eye set in a plain brownish face, the upperparts are dark sooty brown and the underparts are buff brown. It measures 15–16 cm (5.9–6.3 in) in length and weights 20–25 g (0.71–0.88 oz).<p>It makes various "tseep" calls and has a harsh chiiering alarm call.
Taxonomy
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher forms a superspecies with the Angola slaty flycatcher and the white-eyed slaty flycatcher, and these three species are sometime placed in the genus Dioptrornis, or lumped as a single species but the allopatry and morphological differences shown support their treatment as allospecies. The results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 led to a reorganization of the Old World flycatchers family in which the four species in Bradornis and the single species in Sigelus together with the Dioprornis species were merged into Melaenornis.
- Scientific name
- Melaenornis chocolatinus
- Authority
- (Rüppell, 1840)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Melaenornis
Range and habitat
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher occurs in mid to high altitude forest, woodland edges, clearings, in agricultural land and in suburbs, where it can be found in large gardens and parks. There are two currently recognised subspecies of Abyssinian slaty flycatcher and they are listed below with their distributions:
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Otus tempestatis
A fairly common species endemic to the island of Wetar, where the only scops-owl present. Inhabits both primary and degraded forest from lowlands to the hills. Small, inconspicuous ear tufts, prominent white eyebrows, black facial border, yellow eyes, prominent dark streaking on crown, neck and chest, and intricately patterned upperparts with conspicuous white wing markings. Occurs in gray and rufous forms. Rufous morph has reduced streaking and strong rufous barring on the underparts. Vocalization, a short series of rhythmic, rasping coughs.
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Neophema splendida
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Yellow-billed Cacique
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