Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – African Dusky Flycatcher
Learn more about this winged Highway resident by reading on.
Kloof Conservancy
In previous articles we have featured some of our more stunning local birds – we still have many to go but we thought we should also feature some of the less glamourous species as they also are important to our eco-system and all have an interesting story to tell! Birders tend to classify small birds that are difficult to identify as LBJs or little brown jobs and our feature bird this week, the African Dusky Flycatcher, fits neatly into this category. Although it is not quite brown, it is small and can easily be confused with a number of other species unless you get a close look at it!
Description
It is often described as small and dumpy as it is only 13cm in length and weighs approximately 11g. Its overall colouring is buff-brownish with a pale coloured throat. The mottled breast is a feature that helps to distinguish it from the Ashy Flycatcher. It has a dark brown tail and dark brown eyes. Males and females are identical in appearance.
Distribution
It is a resident species and can be found in most wooded parts of south-Saharan Africa, but in South Africa it is only found in on the eastern parts, including KwaZulu-Natal and the southern Cape.
ALSO READ: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Red-chested Cuckoo (Piet-my-Vrou)
Habitat
Its preferred habitat is thick woodland and along the edges of riverine and evergreen forests. It has also adapted well to human encroachment and can be spotted in most local, wooded Upper Highway gardens.
Feeding
It generally feeds on the wing and catches small insects in flight. Its diet consists mainly of the tinier winged insects such as aphids and midges with the occasional beetle. It seldom feeds on the ground, preferring to hunt from a perch two to three metres above the ground.
Breeding
The Dusky Flycatcher is monogamous and mates for life. The nests are usually cup-shaped and made inside natural tree cavities where they will lay two or three greenish coloured eggs. The nests are lined with soft materials and feathers and the nest sites are often reused. Unfortunately, they can be the victims of the Red-chested and Klaas’s Cuckoos habits of parasitising other birds’ nests! Incubation is generally the task of the female. They are quite territorial when nesting and will chase other birds away from the nest area.
Predators
It can be the victim of a number of the smaller hawks and its nest can be raided by a variety of snake species, including the Boomslang.
Threats
The species is noted to have good numbers and is not considered under any specific threat.
ALSO READ: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – African Wood Owl
Local information
Due to the many riverine forests and well-wooded gardens in our area, the African Dusky Flycatcher is one species that most people are likely to see. They can be become accustomed to humans and therefore can be approached to within a few meters.
Interesting facts
The African Dusky Flycatcher is one species that engages in courtship rituals that involve a lot of singing by the male until a mate is found. This is followed by a courtship display of wing fluttering and tail quivering. If the female likes the show she, then also performs a similar ritual.
To learn more about the Kloof Conservancy’s work or to make a donation towards its ongoing projects, visit www.kloofconservancy.org.za
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
