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| species = '''''M. chocolatinus'''''
| species = '''''M. chocolatinus'''''
| binomial = ''Melaenornis chocolatinus''
| binomial = ''Melaenornis chocolatinus''
| binomial_authority = ([[Eduard Rüppell|Rüppell]], 1840)<ref name = ITIS>{{cite web | url = https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=559798#null | title = ''Dioptrornis chocolatinus'' (Rüppell, 1840) | accessdate = 2016-11-06 | publisher = Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (http://www.itis.gov)}}</ref>
| binomial_authority = ([[Eduard Rüppell|Rüppell]], 1840)
| synonyms = ''Dioptrornis chocolatinus''}}
| synonyms = *''Muscicapa chocolatinus
*''Dioptrornis chocolatinus''}}


The '''Abyssinian slaty flycatcher''' (''Melaenornis chocolatinus'') is a species of [[bird]] in the family [[Old World flycatcher|Muscicapidae]], the Old World flycatchers. It is often placed in the genus ''[[Dioptrornis]]''. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in [[Eritrea]] and [[Ethiopia]].<ref name=iucn/>
The '''Abyssinian slaty flycatcher''' (''Melaenornis chocolatinus''), also known as
'''Abyssinian Flycatcher''', '''Abyssinian Black Flycatcher''' or '''Abyssinian Chocolate Flycatcher''', is a species of [[bird]] in the family [[Old World flycatcher|Muscicapidae]], the Old World flycatchers. It is often placed in the genus ''[[Dioptrornis]]''. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in [[Eritrea]] and [[Ethiopia]].<ref name=iucn/>

==Description==
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher is a rather dingy, nondescript grey brown bird which normally perches with the typical vertical posture of an old world flycatcher. It has a yellow eye set in a plain brownish face, the upperparts are dark sooty brown and the underparts are buff brown.<ref name="Sinclair & Ryan">{{cite book | title = Birds of Africa south of the Sahara | first1 = Ian | last1 = Sinclair | first2 = Peter | last2 = Ryan |year = 2003 | publisher = Struik | ISBN = 1-86872-857-9 | page = 546}}</ref> It measures 15–16 cm in length and weights 20–25g.<ref name = HBW>{{cite web | url = http://www.hbw.com/species/abyssinian-slaty-flycatcher-melaenornis-chocolatinus | title = Abyssinian Slaty-flycatcher (''Melaenornis chocolatinus'')) | accessdate = 2016-11-06 | publisher = Lynx Edicions|work = Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive}}</ref>

===Voice===
It makes various "tseep" calls and has a harsh chiiering alarm call.<ref name = "Sinclair & Ryan"/>

==Distribution and subspecies==
There are tow currently recognised subspecies of Abyssinian slaty flycatcher<ref name =ITIS/> and they are listed below with their distributions:<ref name = HBW/>

*''Melaenornis chocolatinus chocolatinus'' <small>(Rüppell, 1840)</small>: central [[Eritrea]] and north and central [[Ethiopia]].
*''Melaenornis chocolatinus reichenowi'' <small>(Neumann, 1902)</small>: western Ethiopia.

==Habitat==
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher occurs in mid to high altitude forest, woodland edges, clearings, in agricultural land and in suburbs, where it can be found in large gardens and parks.<ref name = "Sinclair & Ryan"/>

==Habits==
Hunts in a typical flycatcher manner, sallying from a perch to catch insects in flight. It is suspected to breed in January to February and March to June in Ethiopia with enlarged [[gonads]] recorded from specimens taken in June, December and March to May.<ref name = HBW/> The nest is cup shaped and is placed at a narrow fork of a horizontal tree branch, the clutch consists of 3 blue-grey, blotched eggs.<ref name = Birdforum>{{cite web | url = http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Abyssinian_Slaty-Flycatcher | title = Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher | accessdate = 2016-11-06 | publisher = Birdforum.net|work - Birdforum Opus}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher forms a [[superspecies]] with the [[Angola slaty flycatcher]] and the [[white-eyed slaty flycatcher]], and these three species are sometime placed in the genus ''Dioptrornis'', or lumped as a single species but the [[allapatry]] and morphological differences shown support their treatement as [[allospecies]]. The results of a [[molecular phylogenetic]] study published in 2010 led to a reorganization of the Old World flycatchers family in which the four species in ''Bradornis'' and the single species in ''Sigelus'' together with the ''Dioprornis'' species were merged into ''Melaenornis''.<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | title=Chats, Old World flycatchers | work=World Bird List Version 6.2 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/chats/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union| accessdate=20 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite journal | last1=Sangster | first1=G. | last2=Alström| first2=P. | last3=Forsmark | first3=E. | last4=Olsson | first4=U. | year=2010 | title=Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of Old World chats and flycatchers reveals extensive paraphyly at family, subfamily and genus level (Aves: Muscicapidae) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=57 | issue=1 | pages=380-392 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.07.008 }}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Animals described in 1840]]
[[Category:Animals described in 1840]]
[[Category:Birds of East Africa]]
[[Category:Birds of East Africa]]
{{Muscicapidae-stub}}

Revision as of 12:37, 6 November 2016

Abyssinian slaty flycatcher
Photo taken in Adis Ababa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
M. chocolatinus
Binomial name
Melaenornis chocolatinus
(Rüppell, 1840)[2]
Synonyms
  • Muscicapa chocolatinus
  • Dioptrornis chocolatinus

The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher (Melaenornis chocolatinus), also known as Abyssinian Flycatcher, Abyssinian Black Flycatcher or Abyssinian Chocolate Flycatcher, is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae, the Old World flycatchers. It is often placed in the genus Dioptrornis. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in Eritrea and Ethiopia.[1]

Description

The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher is a rather dingy, nondescript grey brown bird which normally perches with the typical vertical posture of an old world flycatcher. It has a yellow eye set in a plain brownish face, the upperparts are dark sooty brown and the underparts are buff brown.[3] It measures 15–16 cm in length and weights 20–25g.[4]

Voice

It makes various "tseep" calls and has a harsh chiiering alarm call.[3]

Distribution and subspecies

There are tow currently recognised subspecies of Abyssinian slaty flycatcher[2] and they are listed below with their distributions:[4]

  • Melaenornis chocolatinus chocolatinus (Rüppell, 1840): central Eritrea and north and central Ethiopia.
  • Melaenornis chocolatinus reichenowi (Neumann, 1902): western Ethiopia.

Habitat

The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher occurs in mid to high altitude forest, woodland edges, clearings, in agricultural land and in suburbs, where it can be found in large gardens and parks.[3]

Habits

Hunts in a typical flycatcher manner, sallying from a perch to catch insects in flight. It is suspected to breed in January to February and March to June in Ethiopia with enlarged gonads recorded from specimens taken in June, December and March to May.[4] The nest is cup shaped and is placed at a narrow fork of a horizontal tree branch, the clutch consists of 3 blue-grey, blotched eggs.[5]

Taxonomy

The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher forms a superspecies with the Angola slaty flycatcher and the white-eyed slaty flycatcher, and these three species are sometime placed in the genus Dioptrornis, or lumped as a single species but the allapatry and morphological differences shown support their treatement as allospecies. The results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 led to a reorganization of the Old World flycatchers family in which the four species in Bradornis and the single species in Sigelus together with the Dioprornis species were merged into Melaenornis.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International 2012. Dioptrornis chocolatinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Downloaded on 05 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Dioptrornis chocolatinus (Rüppell, 1840)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (http://www.itis.gov). Retrieved 2016-11-06. {{cite web}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 29 (help)
  3. ^ a b c Sinclair, Ian; Ryan, Peter (2003). Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Struik. p. 546. ISBN 1-86872-857-9.
  4. ^ a b c "Abyssinian Slaty-flycatcher (Melaenornis chocolatinus))". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  5. ^ "Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher". Birdforum.net. Retrieved 2016-11-06. {{cite web}}: Text "work - Birdforum Opus" ignored (help)
  6. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Chats, Old World flycatchers". World Bird List Version 6.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ Sangster, G.; Alström, P.; Forsmark, E.; Olsson, U. (2010). "Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of Old World chats and flycatchers reveals extensive paraphyly at family, subfamily and genus level (Aves: Muscicapidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 57 (1): 380–392. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.07.008.