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Difference between revisions of "Fiscal Flycatcher" - BirdForum Opus

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(Basic tidy-up. Taxonomy. Pictures of female & juvenile. References updated. GSearch amended to allow for both scientific names)
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[[Image:Fiscal_Flycatcher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo taken at Kleinmond, near Cape Town, [[South Africa]], by {{user|Max+Holdt|Max Holdt}}]]
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[[Image:Fiscal_Flycatcher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Max+Holdt|Max Holdt}}<br />Kleinmond, near Cape Town, [[South Africa]], December 2004]]
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;[[:Category:Sigelus|Sigelus]] silens
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;[[:Category:Sigelus|Sigelus]] silens<br />
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''Melaenornis silens''
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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This black and white bird gets its name from its resemblance to the [[Common Fiscal]], a shrike. The Fiscal Flycatcher is 17-20 cm in length, mass 26 g. '''Adult male''': Black above and greyish white below (breast and flanks darker than throat and belly) with white wing patches and white sides to the tail. '''Adult female''': Dark grey-brown, not black, above and browner below. The juvenile is like the female but duller and with brown spots and scalloping above and below.
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17-20 cm<br />
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'''Adult male''': Black above and greyish white below (breast and flanks darker than throat and belly) with white wing patches and white sides to the tail.<br />
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'''Adult female''': Dark grey-brown, not black, above and browner below.
  
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The juvenile is like the female but duller and with brown spots and scalloping above and below.
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[[Image:8892CRW 4910.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|leon|leon}}<br />Rietvleidam, Pretoria, [[South Africa]], June 2004]]
 
====Similar Species====
 
====Similar Species====
 
The male can be confused with the [[Common Fiscal]], but the shrike has a heavy, hooked bill, a white patch on the shoulder rather than the lower wing, and has no white on its longer tail.
 
The male can be confused with the [[Common Fiscal]], but the shrike has a heavy, hooked bill, a white patch on the shoulder rather than the lower wing, and has no white on its longer tail.
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Southern [[Africa]]: [[South Africa]], [[Swaziland]], and south-eastern [[Botswana]]; limited distribution in southern [[Mozambique]], the lowlands of [[Lesotho]], and the extreme south of [[Zimbabwe]].
 
Southern [[Africa]]: [[South Africa]], [[Swaziland]], and south-eastern [[Botswana]]; limited distribution in southern [[Mozambique]], the lowlands of [[Lesotho]], and the extreme south of [[Zimbabwe]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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The Fiscal Flycatcher ''Sigelus silens'' is the only species in its genus, which is placed in the family Muscicapidae with other Old-World flycatchers.
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
  
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There are two subspecies. ''S. s. lawsoni'' is from North-West Province, north-western Northern Cape Province, extreme western Free State Province ([[South Africa]]), and south-eastern [[Botswana]]; It is slightly buffy and paler below than the nominate race. ''S. s. silens'' is found in most of the rest of [[South Africa]], [[Swaziland]], southern [[Mozambique]], the lowlands of [[Lesotho]], and the extreme south of [[Zimbabwe]] (Described under '''Identification''').
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Some authorities<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup> recognise subspecies ''lawsoni'' from North-West Province, north-western Northern Cape Province, extreme western Free State Province ([[South Africa]]), and south-eastern [[Botswana]]; It is slightly buffy and paler below than the nominate race.
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[[Image:800bonjtfs9dPC318876.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|CollinBax|CollinBax}}<br />NP [[RSA]], January 2012]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Most common in moist and semi-arid lowland grasslands and savanna, valley bushveld and fynbos. The species favours fairly open vegetation, with some trees or shrubs as perches.
 
Most common in moist and semi-arid lowland grasslands and savanna, valley bushveld and fynbos. The species favours fairly open vegetation, with some trees or shrubs as perches.
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==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
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The Fiscal Flycatcher feeds on insects, often taken in flight and occasionally joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Most foraging is conducted from a perch, often on the top of a bush or small tree, or on a fence, powerline or telephone line.
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The diet consists of insects, often taken in flight and occasionally joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Most foraging is conducted from a perch, often on the top of a bush or small tree, or on a fence, powerline or telephone line.
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====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
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The Fiscal Flycatcher builds an open cup nest from thin stems and other plant material and lined with plant down. It is placed in a dense bush or tree up to 6 m above the ground. Parasitised by the [[Jacobin Cuckoo]].
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They build an open cup nest from thin stems and other plant material and lined with plant down. It is placed in a dense bush or tree up to 6 m above the ground. Parasitised by the [[Jacobin Cuckoo]].
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
 
The song is a weak chittering, and the alarm call is ''tssisk''.
 
The song is a weak chittering, and the alarm call is ''tssisk''.
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German: Würgerschnäpper; Afrikaans: Fiskaalvlieëvanger
 
German: Würgerschnäpper; Afrikaans: Fiskaalvlieëvanger
 
==References==
 
==References==
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Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug13}}#Avibase
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#{{Ref-Hockeyetal05}}
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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{{GSearch|Sigelus+silens}}
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{{GSearch|Flycatcher+silens}}
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Sigelus]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Sigelus]]

Revision as of 21:54, 27 December 2013

Photo by Max Holdt
Kleinmond, near Cape Town, South Africa, December 2004
Sigelus silens

Melaenornis silens

Identification

17-20 cm
Adult male: Black above and greyish white below (breast and flanks darker than throat and belly) with white wing patches and white sides to the tail.
Adult female: Dark grey-brown, not black, above and browner below.

The juvenile is like the female but duller and with brown spots and scalloping above and below.

Female
Photo by leon
Rietvleidam, Pretoria, South Africa, June 2004

Similar Species

The male can be confused with the Common Fiscal, but the shrike has a heavy, hooked bill, a white patch on the shoulder rather than the lower wing, and has no white on its longer tail.

The Fiscal Flycatcher is larger than the male Collared Flycatcher, which has a white collar and lacks white wing panels.

Distribution

Southern Africa: South Africa, Swaziland, and south-eastern Botswana; limited distribution in southern Mozambique, the lowlands of Lesotho, and the extreme south of Zimbabwe.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

Some authorities[2] recognise subspecies lawsoni from North-West Province, north-western Northern Cape Province, extreme western Free State Province (South Africa), and south-eastern Botswana; It is slightly buffy and paler below than the nominate race.

Juvenile
Photo by CollinBax
NP RSA, January 2012

Habitat

Most common in moist and semi-arid lowland grasslands and savanna, valley bushveld and fynbos. The species favours fairly open vegetation, with some trees or shrubs as perches.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet consists of insects, often taken in flight and occasionally joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Most foraging is conducted from a perch, often on the top of a bush or small tree, or on a fence, powerline or telephone line.

Breeding

They build an open cup nest from thin stems and other plant material and lined with plant down. It is placed in a dense bush or tree up to 6 m above the ground. Parasitised by the Jacobin Cuckoo.

Vocalisation

The song is a weak chittering, and the alarm call is tssisk.

In Culture

Other Names

German: Würgerschnäpper; Afrikaans: Fiskaalvlieëvanger

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533

Recommended Citation

External Links

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