About Sigelus silens (Shaw, 1809)
This black and white bird, commonly known as the fiscal flycatcher, gets its common name from its resemblance to northern and southern fiscal shrikes (once treated as a single species called the common fiscal). Fiscal shrikes themselves got their name from their black and white suit-and-tie coloration, which resembles the appearance of a taxman, who was historically called a 'fiscal'.
Male fiscal flycatchers can be confused with fiscal shrikes, but fiscal shrikes have heavy, hooked bills, white patches located on the shoulder instead of the lower wing, and no white markings on their longer tails. The close resemblance between the fiscal flycatcher and fiscal shrikes is thought to be an example of Batesian mimicry.
The fiscal flycatcher measures 17–20 cm in total length. Adult males are black on their upper body and white on their underbody, with white wing patches and white sides to the tail. Females are brown on their upper body, similar in appearance to immature fiscal shrikes, rather than black. Juvenile fiscal flycatchers resemble adult females but are duller in color, with brown spots and scalloped markings on both their upper and underbodies.
The fiscal flycatcher's song is a weak chittering, and its alarm call is described as tssisk. It is larger than the male collared flycatcher; male collared flycatchers have a white collar and lack white wing panels, unlike the fiscal flycatcher.
