Angola Slaty Flycatcher - BirdForum Opus

Melaenornis brunneus

Identification

c. 15 cm.

• Grey forehead, lores and eyering
• Warm dark brown side of head
• Pale streaks on cheek and ear-coverts
• Warm dark brown crown, nape, neck side and upperparts (including upperwing)
• Remiges and greater and median upperwing-coverts with narrow pale edges
• Dark brown tail
• Grey chin
• Warm dark brown throat and breast
• Buffy white upper belly, white lower belly and flanks, light brown thighs and vent, white undertail-coverts
• bailunduensis with darker upperparts

Sexes similar. Juveniles undescribed.

Similar species

Has shorter wings than Sooty Flycatcher. Also note the longer tail and white on underparts.

Distribution

Endemic to Angola.
A poorly known species, probably uncommon in its range.

Taxonomy

Two subspecies recognized:

• M. b. brunneus in northern end of western escarpment of Angola
• M. b. bailunduensis around Mount Moco and in central highlands of Angola

Formerly placed in genus Dioptrornis.
Forms a superspecies with White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher and Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher and all three species have been considered conspecific.

Habitat

The nominate race occurs in secondary forest and open coffe forest. bailunduensis is found in patches of montane forest, often in trees along small streams and in small patches of trees in shrubland on rocky ridges and mountain tops.
Occurs from 2000 to 2200 m.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on insects. Hawks from crown of tall trees to catch its prey.

Breeding

Birds in breeding condition recorded from August to November. No more information about breeding.

Movements

This is a resident species.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.2). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2015)

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Angola Slaty Flycatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Angola_Slaty_Flycatcher

External Links

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