Böhm's flycatcher is a species of passerine bird in the Old world flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Myopornis. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa from Angola to Tanzania, Malawi and south Zambia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is named after German zoologist Richard Böhm.
Region
South-central Sub-Saharan Africa (Miombo belt)
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily from Angola across southern Democratic Republic of the Congo to Tanzania, Malawi, and southern Zambia, mainly following miombo woodland dominated by Brachystegia and Julbernardia. It favors dry, open-canopy woodlands with scattered tall trees and a well-lit understory. The species also uses woodland edges, clearings, and lightly disturbed secondary growth. It is generally absent from dense rainforest, open grassland, and high montane zones.
Altitude Range
300–1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Böhm's flycatcher is a monotypic species, the sole member of the genus Myopornis, and is closely tied to miombo woodlands. Named after German zoologist Richard Böhm, it spends much of its time in the mid- to upper canopy, making it easy to overlook. It helps control insect populations by sallying out from shaded perches to catch flying prey. Its presence often betrays relatively intact dry woodland habitats.
Temperament
quiet and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from perches
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, sometimes accompanying mixed-species flocks in the woodland canopy. Nests are typically small, cup-shaped structures placed on horizontal branches or in forks, constructed from fine plant fibers and spider webs. Both parents are believed to participate in feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a soft, simple series of clear whistles and thin phrases delivered from a shaded perch in the canopy. Calls include sharp tsee or tzip notes given during foraging and contact.
Plumage
Plain, soft brown to grey-brown upperparts with slightly paler underparts and a whitish throat; plumage appears smooth and unmarked at a distance. Subtle pale eye-ring and faint throat mottling may be visible at close range. Tail and wings are slightly darker with minimal contrast.
Diet
Primarily hunts small flying insects such as flies, beetles, termites, and moths. It employs sallying to catch prey in mid-air, returning to the same or nearby perch. It also occasionally gleans insects from leaves and twigs in the mid-story. Feeding bouts are often brief and repeated from favored perches.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the mid- to upper canopy of dry miombo woodland and at woodland edges. It uses open gaps, track sides, and lightly disturbed areas where aerial insects are abundant.
