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− | [[Image:Ashy_Flycatcher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|safariranger|safariranger}} | + | [[Image:Ashy_Flycatcher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo © by {{user|safariranger|safariranger}} <br />Lower Sabie, [[Kruger National Park]], [[South Africa]], 3 May 2007]] |
− | '''Alternative | + | '''Alternative names: Ashy Alseonax, Blue-grey Flycatcher''' |
− | ;[[:Category: | + | ;[[:Category: Fraseria|Fraseria]] caerulescens |
− | |||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
− | 14-16 cm. | + | [[Image:176_Ashy_Flycatcher_MM.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''cinereola'' <br />Photo © by {{user|Morph|Morph}}<br />Keekorok Lodge, [[Masai Mara]], [[Kenya]] 12 August 2007]] |
− | + | 14-16 cm (5½-6¼ in). A pale grey or blue-grey flycatcher of forest margins. The black [[Topography#Heads|loral]] line and the white supraloral streak which joins the narrow (but usually prominent) white eye-ring are good diagnostic features for this bird. | |
+ | * elongate for a flycatcher, recalling a wheatear | ||
+ | * overall grey or brownish-grey. Often more bluish than similar species like [[African Grey Flycatcher]] | ||
+ | * loral line dark with whitish supraloral | ||
+ | * eye ring white or whitish, narrow but often prominent. Horizontally bisected | ||
+ | * throat whitish, often contrasting with grey underparts | ||
+ | * lower belly paler, becoming white in the vent area | ||
+ | * wing with pale feather fringes | ||
+ | * eye dark | ||
+ | * bill dark, frequently with paler base to the lower mandible (may appear light blue, even creamy) | ||
+ | * legs bluish grey (may be dark) | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
Sub-Saharan [[Africa]]: [[Guinea]] to south-eastern [[Somalia]], [[Angola]] and eastern [[South Africa]]. | Sub-Saharan [[Africa]]: [[Guinea]] to south-eastern [[Somalia]], [[Angola]] and eastern [[South Africa]]. | ||
− | |||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
− | + | Formerly placed in genus ''[[:Category:Muscicapa|Muscicapa]]'' | |
− | * '' | + | ====Subspecies==== |
− | : | + | Clements recognises the following subspecies [[#References|[2]]]: |
− | * '' | + | * ''F. c. nigrorum'': South-eastern [[Guinea]] to [[Sierra Leone]], [[Ghana]] and [[Togo]] |
− | : | + | * ''F. c. brevicauda'': Southern [[Nigeria]] east to southern [[South Sudan]], [[Uganda]], and extreme western [[Kenya]], south to northwestern [[Angola]] and southern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] |
− | * '' | + | * ''F. c. cinereola'': Southern [[Somalia]] to eastern [[Kenya]] and eastern [[Tanzania]] |
− | : | + | * ''F. c. impavida'': Southern [[Zaire]] to south-western [[Angola]], far-northern [[Namibia]], northern [[Botswana]], western [[Tanzania]] and northern [[Mozambique]] |
− | * '' | + | * ''F. c. vulturna'': Southern [[Malawi]] to southern [[Zimbabwe]] and north-eastern [[South Africa]] |
− | : | + | * ''F. c. caerulescens'': Extreme southern [[Mozambique]], southern [[eSwatini]] and south-eastern [[South Africa]] |
− | * '' | ||
− | : | ||
− | * '' | ||
− | : | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Dry and moist forests (where it prefers forest edge and clearings) and moist savanna. | Dry and moist forests (where it prefers forest edge and clearings) and moist savanna. | ||
− | |||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
The diet comprises mainly insects; hawked or taken on the ground. Also seen eating small fruit and small geckos. | The diet comprises mainly insects; hawked or taken on the ground. Also seen eating small fruit and small geckos. | ||
====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
− | Monogamous and territorial. Both sexes build a cup-shaped nest using bark, grass, moss and rootlets (sometimes spiders web); it is placed in a shallow cavity in a tree or rock-face, or at a narrow fork between branches. Two to three cream, finely spotted eggs are laid and incubated for about 14 days. Parasitism by [[Klaas's Cuckoo]] has been recorded. | + | [[Dictionary_M-O#M|Monogamous]] and territorial. Both sexes build a cup-shaped nest using bark, grass, moss and rootlets (sometimes spiders web); it is placed in a shallow cavity in a tree or rock-face, or at a narrow fork between branches. Two to three cream, finely spotted eggs are laid and incubated for about 14 days. [[Dictionary_P-S#P|Parasitism]] by [[Klaas's Cuckoo]] has been recorded. |
− | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
#Answers.com. 2008. [http://www.answers.com/topic/ashy-flycatcher Animal Encyclopedia: Ashy flycatcher]. Downloaded 27 December 2008. | #Answers.com. 2008. [http://www.answers.com/topic/ashy-flycatcher Animal Encyclopedia: Ashy flycatcher]. Downloaded 27 December 2008. | ||
− | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#{{Ref-Hockeyetal05}}#{{Ref-SinclairRyan03}} |
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
− | |||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
+ | {{GSearch|"Muscicapa caerulescens" {{!}} "Fraseria caerulescens" {{!}} "Ashy Flycatcher" {{!}} "Ashy Alseonax" {{!}} "Blue-grey Flycatcher"}} | ||
+ | {{GS-checked}}1 | ||
+ | <br /> | ||
+ | <br /> | ||
− | + | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Fraseria]] | |
− | |||
− | [[Category:Birds]][[Category: |
Latest revision as of 21:10, 2 November 2023
Alternative names: Ashy Alseonax, Blue-grey Flycatcher
- Fraseria caerulescens
Identification
14-16 cm (5½-6¼ in). A pale grey or blue-grey flycatcher of forest margins. The black loral line and the white supraloral streak which joins the narrow (but usually prominent) white eye-ring are good diagnostic features for this bird.
- elongate for a flycatcher, recalling a wheatear
- overall grey or brownish-grey. Often more bluish than similar species like African Grey Flycatcher
- loral line dark with whitish supraloral
- eye ring white or whitish, narrow but often prominent. Horizontally bisected
- throat whitish, often contrasting with grey underparts
- lower belly paler, becoming white in the vent area
- wing with pale feather fringes
- eye dark
- bill dark, frequently with paler base to the lower mandible (may appear light blue, even creamy)
- legs bluish grey (may be dark)
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa: Guinea to south-eastern Somalia, Angola and eastern South Africa.
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in genus Muscicapa
Subspecies
Clements recognises the following subspecies [2]:
- F. c. nigrorum: South-eastern Guinea to Sierra Leone, Ghana and Togo
- F. c. brevicauda: Southern Nigeria east to southern South Sudan, Uganda, and extreme western Kenya, south to northwestern Angola and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo
- F. c. cinereola: Southern Somalia to eastern Kenya and eastern Tanzania
- F. c. impavida: Southern Zaire to south-western Angola, far-northern Namibia, northern Botswana, western Tanzania and northern Mozambique
- F. c. vulturna: Southern Malawi to southern Zimbabwe and north-eastern South Africa
- F. c. caerulescens: Extreme southern Mozambique, southern eSwatini and south-eastern South Africa
Habitat
Dry and moist forests (where it prefers forest edge and clearings) and moist savanna.
Behaviour
The diet comprises mainly insects; hawked or taken on the ground. Also seen eating small fruit and small geckos.
Breeding
Monogamous and territorial. Both sexes build a cup-shaped nest using bark, grass, moss and rootlets (sometimes spiders web); it is placed in a shallow cavity in a tree or rock-face, or at a narrow fork between branches. Two to three cream, finely spotted eggs are laid and incubated for about 14 days. Parasitism by Klaas's Cuckoo has been recorded.
References
- Answers.com. 2008. Animal Encyclopedia: Ashy flycatcher. Downloaded 27 December 2008.
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 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
- Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Ashy Flycatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ashy_Flycatcher
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1