Southern black flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

Photo by Alan Manson (Wikipedia)

Common name:
southern black flycatcher (en); papa-moscas-preto-meridional (pt); gobemouche sud-africain (fr); papamoscas sudafricano (es); glanzdrongoschnäpper (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Muscicapidae

Range:
This African species is found from Congo, southern D.R. Congo and Kenya south to northern Namibia, Botswana and eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 20 cm long and weigh 30 g.

Habitat:
The southern black flycatcher is mostly found in dry savannas, especially miombo, mopane and acacia, but also in dry scrublands, riparian woodlands, rural gardens, along the edges of plantations and in arable land.

Diet:
They feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates such as termites, beetles, locusts, spiders, centipedes and worms. They are also know to eat some nectar and berries.

Breeding:
These birds breed in May-January. The nest is a shallow, thin-walled cup usually built of twigs, dry grass and other plant material, and lined with fine rootlets. It is typically placed in a tree hollow, but also on human structures, creeper tangles, banana bunches and palm sheaths. The female lays 1-4 eggs which she probably incubates alone for 13-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-20 day after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as generally uncommon to locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.