The yellow-eyed black flycatcher is a small passerine bird of the genus Melaenornis in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae native to the Albertine Rift montane forests.
Region
Albertine Rift (Central Africa)
Typical Environment
Found in moist montane evergreen forests of the Albertine Rift, including eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, western Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. It favors forest interiors, edges, and gaps, and will use secondary growth adjacent to intact forest. Birds often perch at mid-levels where light filters through canopy breaks. Stream gullies, ridgelines, and forest clearings are frequently used for foraging. It is generally absent from lowland forests and heavily degraded habitats.
Altitude Range
1200–3000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small flycatcher is a dark, nearly uniform black bird with a striking bright yellow iris, making identification straightforward even in dim montane forest light. It hawks insects from shaded perches in the midstory and often joins mixed-species flocks. The species is confined to the Albertine Rift, where it occupies moist montane forests and forest edges. It is generally inconspicuous but becomes active and vocal at dawn and dusk.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from a perch
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories in suitable forest patches. Frequently accompanies mixed-species flocks moving through the midstory. Nests are likely cup-shaped and placed in dense vegetation or sheltered ledges, with both adults participating in chick feeding. Courtship and pair bonding behaviors include perch displays and soft calls.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of thin, high-pitched whistles and seee notes, interspersed with sharp ticks. Calls carry modestly through the forest understory and are most frequent during early morning and late afternoon.
