Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – The Fiscal Flycatcher

THIS week, we take a look at another of the Flycatchers – this time, the Fiscal Flycatcher. It is not very common in our area, but if you look carefully, you will find it, particularly in the summer months.

Also read: Kloof Conservancy partners with local schools

Description

This is a small- to medium-sized bird at 18cm and 26g. It is smaller than a dove, but it stands out because of its black-and-white colouration. The crown, forehead and most of the back and upper-wing feathers are black or very dark brown. The tail is dark brown with some white sections. The chin, breast and lower parts are a dirty white. The males and females are very similar, but the female is much duller and not as black as the male.

This flycatcher is probably the most misidentified bird in our area as it is very easily confused with the very similar-looking Southern Fiscal. The Southern Fiscal is a shrike and is slightly larger than the Fiscal Flycatcher. The best way to tell the difference is to look at the beak. The Fiscal Flycatcher has a straight beak while the Southern Fiscal has a beak with a curved tip that is typical of shrikes.

Also read: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – The Common Waxbill

Distribution

The Fiscal Flycatcher is endemic to (found only in) Southern Africa and is found throughout South Africa with the exception of the very dry parts of the Northern Cape and parts of the Karoo.

Habitat

You will find the Fiscal Flycatcher in open woodland, but it is also commonly found in well-established and treed gardens.

Feeding

The Fiscal Flycatcher is predominantly an insect eater. It will forage from a high perch on a tree or fence pole and pounce on small insects. It will occasionally hawk insects, such as flying ants and butterflies, in the air. It will also occasionally feed on nectar from various aloes and trees, such as the tree-fuchsia.

Breeding

The Fiscal Flycatcher breeds from October to December with the female building a bulky cup-shaped nest on her own. The nest is lined with soft plant material, and in urban areas, it is often also lined with wool or string.

The female usually lays two to four eggs, which she incubates on her own with the male’s role limited to bringing food. Feeding of the chicks is also left to the female with the male playing a limited role.

Predators and threats

The Fiscal Flycatcher is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the population numbers are generally healthy. This species has adapted well to the presence of humans, and numbers are generally good in urban areas.

Local information

Look out for this species in your garden, in forest edges or on the odd tree in our grasslands.

Interesting facts

The Fiscal Flycatcher is generally a quiet bird, but it is a very good mimicker and can copy the calls of numerous birds, including the Dark-Capped Bulbul, the Cape Robin Chat, the White-Bellied Sunbird and even that of the White-Faced Whistling Duck.

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