Least Concern Birds

Fiscal Flycatcher

Melaenornis silens

Fiscal Flycatcher hunts flying insects in savannas and open bushlands.

Scientific name	Melaenornis silens
Swahili name	Mwewe wa Fedha
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Passeriformes
Family	Muscicapidae
Size	Male: approximately 16-18 grams; female: slightly lighter, about 15-17 grams

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How to identify

Small-sized bird with an overall gray tone; head and back dark gray, belly lighter; distinct white eye-ring; wings and tail short; bill short and pointed, adapted for insect predation

Habitat

Sparse woodland savanna, open shrubland, edges of farmland, and secondary forest

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, capturing flying flies, mosquitoes, and other small invertebrates

When it is active

Diurnal, active during the day, especially more active in foraging during early morning and late afternoon

Where it lives

Mainly distributed in East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and neighboring areas; commonly seen in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve

How to spot it

Search at dawn or dusk along edges of open shrubland, observe flight hunting behavior; use of binoculars aids identification

Photography tips

Use natural lighting to capture moments of flight hunting; background should be open sky or green shrubs; use telephoto lens to minimize disturbance

Threats

Habitat destruction and pesticide use may affect food sources

Similar species

Similar to other members of the genus Melaenornis, such as the Ashy Flycatcher (Melaenornis microrhynchus), distinguished by a more uniform body color and a more prominent eye-ring

📖 how to spot the fiscal flycatcher on safari