The fiscal flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is the only species placed in the genus Sigelus. It is a resident breeder in Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland, and a vagrant to Namibia.
Region
Southern Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely from South Africa through Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, and Mozambique, with occasional records in Namibia. It favors open habitats with scattered shrubs and trees, including fynbos, Karoo scrub, savanna edges, gardens, and agricultural margins. It is uncommon in dense forests and true deserts but thrives in ecotones and human-modified landscapes. The species is generally sedentary, shifting locally with food availability and seasonal conditions.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named for its resemblance to the black-and-white Fiscal shrikes, the fiscal flycatcher mimics their 'businesslike' plumage but is a true flycatcher. It often perches conspicuously and darts out to snatch insects mid-air, yet will also take small fruits, making it a flexible feeder. It adapts well to gardens and farmland edges and is a familiar bird across much of southern Africa.
Temperament
alert and confiding
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with frequent sallies
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories, especially during breeding season. The cup-shaped nest is placed low in shrubs or small trees; clutches typically contain 2–4 eggs. Both parents feed the nestlings, and pairs may raise multiple broods in good seasons.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, sweet warble with simple, repetitive phrases interspersed with thin whistles. Calls include sharp tseet or chek notes given from exposed perches and during foraging sallies.
Plumage
Crisp black-and-white contrast in males with glossy black upperparts and clean white underparts; females are more brownish-grey above with off-white underparts. Both sexes show bold white wing patches and white outer tail feathers that flash in flight. Juveniles are duller and may show faint mottling.
Diet
Takes a wide array of insects such as beetles, flies, caterpillars, and ants, and also consumes spiders. Supplements its diet with small berries and other soft fruits, especially in winter or dry periods. Occasionally gleans from foliage or the ground and may sip nectar from flowering shrubs.
Preferred Environment
Feeds from exposed perches along shrubland edges, gardens, orchards, and fence lines, sallying into the air or dropping to the ground. Often forages around human habitation and lightly wooded areas where perches and open patches are abundant.
