Abyssinian slaty flycatcher
species of bird
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.
Description
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher is a rather dingy, undistinguished 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. It measures 15–16 cm (5.9–6.3 in) in length and weights 20–25 g (0.71–0.88 oz).
Voice
It makes various "tseep" calls and has a harsh chiiering alarm call.
Distribution and subspecies
There are two currently recognised subspecies of Abyssinian slaty flycatcher and they are listed below with their distributions:
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.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Abyssinian slaty flycatcher” is species of bird. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Abyssinian, slaty and flycatcher, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of bird” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Oct 1, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q1316509. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1840 and 1902.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Abyssinian slaty flycatcher”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Abyssinian slaty flycatcher primary sources, Abyssinian slaty flycatcher archive and Abyssinian research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Abyssinian slaty flycatcher”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Abyssinian slaty flycatcher” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.