‘Mystery’ Flycatcher in Ruhengeri (Rwanda) (DAY 2)

I saw the mystery flycatcher again this afternoon (13 March 2010) and ‘stayed’ with it for at least 10min, getting more

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

photos – one shot in particular there’s a good view of the underside of the lower mandible, also a couple showing how short those primaries really are – not even reaching in line with the lower end of the vent. **Earlier the afternoon I’d photographed a Spotted flycatcher as well – seriously “long-winged” compared to this bird.

Behaviour was every bit what Brian Finch had described (see extract of e-mail at bottom of post), especially now I also had a better idea what to look for. In the 10min I was with the bird, it never returned to the same perch once and only 3 times to the same tree although a different branch/twig used for a perch. Twice it caught some tiny insect(s) on the ground (rock path between the trees.

Kindly showing me the underside of lower mandible

It appeared to have no problem hawking right near me at times (2-3m away) and other times flew within a meter from me. Obviously once I started moving, it increased this distance to about 5m.

The other thing I wanted to confirm for myself is the actual amount of wing flicking, if any. This was very interesting, and having a front row seat view I could watch every single little move. On arriving/landing at a perch there was only the slightest hint of a wing flick the majority of times, almost just a twitch of the wingtips. The 2-3 times the wings did flick it was only a single flick although still not a major/very strong flick.

Side view showing short wings

Extract from Brian Finch’s e-mail;

You have now had experience with Gambaga Flycatcher! I only downloaded one image, but it was enough. Not Dusky or Spotted. But the forehead looks as if there might be streaks. These might be either because the bird is damp or immature (rusty rather than buffy edgings). Size, jizz, proportions, pale base to lower mandible, pale lower lid rim, paler lores and frons, whiter throat than breast, marked edging to coverts and flight feathers, very short primaries, all features of Gambaga. Also the long blackish brow/crease line shows as a character in all of my photos.

I was videoing Gambaga here in Kenya a few weeks ago, and it shows a very interesting habit that is quite unique amongst our Muscicapa.

The bird chooses a tree for some time, and flycatch-gleans from within it. It make very short flights maybe only a couple of feet, grabs an insect off a twig or leaf and returns to another nearby perch in the same tree only to repeat the exercise again from the new perch. During the course of feeding it will use the same perch several times, but continues on to a new perch with each foray. Then after a while it changes trees.