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African Dusky Flycatcher | Muscicapa adusta
The African Dusky Flycatcher is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Muscicapidae bird family group which includes birds such as Thrushes, Robins, Chats, Old World Flycatchers. The description for the African Dusky Flycatcher (Latin name Muscicapa adusta) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Muscicapa adusta can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 690 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 920. You will find a picture of the African Dusky Flycatcher on page 753. NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any. This bird is known as Dusky Flycatcher in the Roberts 6th Edition. There have been no changes in the Latin name for the African Dusky Flycatcher between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition The African Dusky Flycatcher is known in Afrikaans as Donkervlie?vanger. The African Dusky Flycatcher has a height of 13 cms and weighs around 11 gms. The head is coloured brown, grey while the bill is coloured black. The Muscicapa adusta has a grey coloured throat, grey legs and a brown coloured back. The eyes are brown. Take note of the main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size. Colours of body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts. Head is brown, grey Eyes are brown Bill is black Legs are grey Throat is grey Back is brown Feeding Habits ...This bird forages for food on the ground This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten . The Muscicapa adusta forages mainly on the ground or at the base of trees, and low down in the shrubs eating mostly fruits and seeds. The bird also drinks nectar from flowers high up in the tree canopy. Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...The African Dusky Flycatcher is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 2 to 3 eggs and they are coloured green. The bird builds its nest within a tree cavity just a few meters above the ground. The hole in the tree is normally reused in the next nesting season. The bird is found in the African bushveld The bird is at home in riverine forests and close to water bodies such as lakes, dams and streams This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...The African Dusky Flycatcher is mainly seen singly or in pairs in the wild. |
