Spotted Flycatcher African Dusky Flycatcher Ashy
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FLYCATCHERS FLYCATCHERS BLUE-GREY FLYCATCHERS: Subtropical flycatchers with similar blue-grey plumage but very different foraging strategies: Ashy hawks insects at mid-levels or canopy edge in moist woodland and at forest fringes; Grey Tit-Flycatcher gleans insects inside tree canopies in woodland, bushveld and riverine bush. 154 155 African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta (Donkervlieëvanger) L: 12-13 cm M: 10-(12)-14 g [1: M. a. adusta; 2: M. a. fus- cula; 3: M. a. subadusta; 4: M. a. mesica]. Smallest and cutest flycatcher, with a dumpy body, large domed head and short wings (resident). Crown almost plain; breast smudged. Quietly waits on a low perch, catching insects in flight or on the ground; often calls from canopy. Does not flick wings as often as Spotted does. SMALL BROWN FLYCATCHERS: Small and nondescript but common flycatchers that hunt from low lookout points. Spotted is a widespread non-br. migrant to virtually any habitat (but especially open woodland). Dusky prefers forest clearings and edges, riverine woodland, plantations and shady gardens. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata (Europese Vlieëvanger) L: 13-15 cm M: 13-(16)-21 g [Races overlap: M. s. striata; M. s. neumanni; M. s. balea- rica; M. s. sarudnyi; M. s. inex- pectata]. A slim, elongated, streamlined, upright LBJ. Wings very long (migratory). Except for streaked crown and breast, lacks obvious features; best identified by shape and wing flicking. Common in open habitats, Oct-Apr. 'spotted' juv. plumage moulted before reaching Southern Africa, but may retain buff-tipped coverts streaked crown looks distinctly long-winged (migratory) greyish white below diffusely streaked (may look plain) plain greyish brown small, spiky bill long, tapering wings flight dashing, swooping & agile; may hover briefly short legs and weak feet often darker lores and more distinct pale eyebrow/eye- ring than Spotted looks distinctly short-winged (resident or short-distance migrant only) short, narrow tail short legs, weak feet soft, dark grey-brown smudges tiny bill darker below than Spotted extensive golden or buffy white spots relatively short wings & tail, but still agile in flight identifiable by shape: looks 'cute' with compact, dumpy body, large head and short wings and tail Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens (Blougrysvlieëvanger) L: 14-15 cm M: 12-(16)-19 g [1: M. c. caerulescens; 2: M. c. vulturna; 3: M. c. impavida]. An inconspicuous but rather tame flycatcher with attractive blue-grey plumage. It spends much time watching quietly from a secluded, shady vantage point, hawking passing insects in flight, usually just below the canopy or between 2 trees. Grey Tit-Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus (Waaierstertvlieëvanger) L: 13-14 cm M: 11-(12)-13 g [1: M. p. catoleucum; 2: M. p. orientalis]. A dainty warbler- like species. Blue-grey plumage recalls Ashy, but hunting strat- egy different: actively searches for prey inside of canopy, often waving black, white-edged tail. Usually located by its trembling telephone-like song, but easily overlooked if silent. long, dark, fan- shaped tail delicate forages actively but unobtrusively by gleaning in canopy; rarely flycatches inside canopy too (if space allows) grey lores robustly built: less dainty than Grey Tit-Flycatcher, less elongated than Spotted and less dumpy than African Dusky black lores; broken white eye-ring strong, typical flycatcher bill soft, pastel blue-grey no white in tail often sits upright with head cocked to the side tail often spread in flight 2 1 3 IMM. striata Brits, NW waits unobtrusively on a 1-3 m high perch, idly flicking tail, then swoops out to catch a flying insect with an audible bill- snap; upon landing flicks wings quickly ADULT striata Maun, Bot ADULT neumanni Masvingo, Zim pale edges in fresh plumage identifiable by shape: elongated, slender, streamlined; slim lower body briefly flicks wings when landing (a habit shared with e.g. Familiar Chat, p. 134) JUV. adusta Knysna, WC 1 4 essentially unstreaked crown large, domed head AD. fuscula Kosi Bay, KZN AD. adusta Tzaneen, Lim plain dark grey-brown smallest flycatcher scaly swoops & dives between trees or from branch to branch inside canopy AD. impavida Chobe, Bot ADULT caerulescens Durban, KZN extensive golden buff spots JUV. vulturna Skukuza, MP trio waiting for passing insects scaly or barred below 2 1 3 3 no white frequently waves and fans tail while foraging AD. catoleucum Shakawe, Bot ADULT catoleucum Pilanesberg, NW JUV. orientalis Mkuze, KZN 1 2 1 conspicuous white corners and sides when tail spread slim and rather delicate in build; carriage horizontal blue-grey white
Transcript of Spotted Flycatcher African Dusky Flycatcher Ashy
FLYCATCHERS FLYCATCHERS
BLUE-GREY FLYCATCHERS: Subtropical flycatchers with similar blue-grey plumage but very different foraging strategies: Ashy hawks insects at mid-levels or canopy edge in moist woodland and at forest fringes; Grey Tit-Flycatcher gleans insects inside tree canopies in woodland, bushveld and riverine bush.
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African Dusky FlycatcherMuscicapa adusta (Donkervlieëvanger)L: 12-13 cm M: 10-(12)-14 g[1: M. a. adusta; 2: M. a. fuscula; 3: M. a. subadusta; 4: M. a. mesica]. Smallest and cutest flycatcher, with a dumpy body, large domed head and short wings (resident). Crown almost plain; breast smudged. Quietly waits on a low perch, catching insects in flight or on the ground; often calls from canopy. Does not flick wings as often as Spotted does.
SMALL BROWN FLYCATCHERS: Small and nondescript but common flycatchers that hunt from low lookout points. Spotted is a widespread non-br. migrant to virtually any habitat (but especially open woodland). Dusky prefers forest clearings and edges, riverine woodland, plantations and shady gardens.
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata (Europese Vlieëvanger)L: 13-15 cm M: 13-(16)-21 g[Races overlap: M. s. striata; M. s. neumanni; M. s. balearica; M. s. sarudnyi; M. s. inexpectata]. A slim, elongated, streamlined, upright LBJ. Wings very long (migratory). Except for streaked crown and breast, lacks obvious features; best identified by shape and wing flicking. Common in open habitats, Oct-Apr.
'spotted' juv. plumage moulted before reaching Southern Africa, but may retain buff-tipped coverts
streaked crown
looks distinctly long-winged (migratory)
greyish white below
diffusely streaked
(may look plain)
plain greyish brown
small, spiky
bill
long, tapering
wings
flight dashing, swooping & agile; may
hover briefly
short legs and
weak feet
often darker lores and more distinct pale eyebrow/eye-ring than Spotted
looks distinctly short-winged (resident or short-distance migrant only)
short, narrow tail
short legs, weak feet
soft, dark grey-brown
smudges
tiny bill
darker below than Spotted
extensive golden or buffy white spots
relatively short wings
& tail, but still agile in flight
identifiable by shape: looks 'cute' with compact,
dumpy body, large head and short wings and tail
Ashy FlycatcherMuscicapa caerulescens (Blougrysvlieëvanger)L: 14-15 cm M: 12-(16)-19 g[1: M. c. caerulescens; 2: M. c. vulturna; 3: M. c. impavida]. An inconspicuous but rather tame flycatcher with attractive blue-grey plumage. It spends much time watching quietly from a secluded, shady vantage point, hawking passing insects in flight, usually just below the canopy or between 2 trees.
Grey Tit-FlycatcherMyioparus plumbeus (Waaierstertvlieëvanger)L: 13-14 cm M: 11-(12)-13 g[1: M. p. catoleucum; 2: M. p. orientalis]. A dainty warbler-like species. Blue-grey plumage recalls Ashy, but hunting strat-egy different: actively searches for prey inside of canopy, often waving black, white-edged tail. Usually located by its trembling telephone-like song, but easily overlooked if silent.
long, dark, fan-shaped tail
delicate
forages actively but unobtrusively by gleaning
in canopy; rarely flycatches inside canopy too (if space allows)
grey lores
robustly built: less dainty than Grey Tit-Flycatcher, less
elongated than Spotted and less dumpy than African Dusky
black lores; broken white
eye-ring
strong, typical flycatcher bill
soft, pastel blue-grey
no white in tail
often sits upright with head cocked to the side
tail often spread in
flight
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imm. striataBrits, NW
waits unobtrusively on a 1-3 m high perch, idly flicking tail, then swoops out to catch a flying insect with an audible bill- snap; upon landing flicks wings quickly
adult striataMaun, Bot
adult neumanni
Masvingo, Zim
pale edges in fresh plumage
identifiable by shape: elongated,
slender, streamlined; slim lower body
briefly flicks wings when landing
(a habit shared with e.g. Familiar Chat, p. 134)
juv. adustaKnysna, WC
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4
essentially unstreaked
crown large, domed
head
ad. fusculaKosi Bay, KZN
ad. adusta
Tzaneen, Lim
plain dark grey-brown
smallest flycatcher
scaly
swoops & dives between trees or from branch
to branch inside canopy
ad. impavidaChobe, Bot
adult caerulescensDurban, KZN
extensive golden buff
spots
juv. vulturnaSkukuza, MP
trio waiting for passing insects
scaly or barred below
2
1
33
no white
frequently waves and fans tail while foraging
ad. catoleucumShakawe, Bot
adult catoleucum
Pilanesberg, NW
juv. orientalis
Mkuze, KZN
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conspicuous white corners
and sides when tail spread
slim and rather delicate in build;
carriage horizontal
blue-grey
white
