Spotted Flycatcher (13–14cm, 5½–6in)

 

The Spotted Flycatcher is a lively summer migrant, gracing Europe with its presence between May and October. This active bird favors suburban gardens, parkland, and open woodlands.

Distinctive Habits:

Don't let their quiet demeanor fool you – Spotted Flycatchers are masters of the aerial ambush! You'll often spot them perched on an exposed branch, patiently pumping their tails. Suddenly, SNAP! They dart out with impressive speed to snatch a passing insect.

Identification:

This sparrow-sized bird shares characteristics with other flycatchers:

• Long wings

• Squarish tail

• Short legs

• Large eyes

• Broad-based bill

While their plumage may appear somewhat understated, the combination of grey, brown, and white streaks, coupled with their distinctive behavior, makes them readily identifiable.

Adult Plumage:

• Face: Indistinct white supercilium (eyebrow), greyish cheeks, white moustache.

• Throat: Off-white with thin dark streaks extending onto the breast.

• Underparts: White.

• Bill, eye, legs: Black.

• Crown: Pale grey with dark streaks, merging into the greyish-brown nape, mantle, and rump.

• Tail: Dark with white outer tail feathers.

• Wings: Pale edgings to all the main feather tracts. Tertials, secondaries, and primaries are dark brown.

Call: A thin ‘tzee’ and a rather wheezy, multi-noted song.

In Flight:

Spotted Flycatchers are agile aerial acrobats! Witness them twist and turn, often close to the ground, as they skillfully capture flying insects like bees, butterflies, and greenflies. After a successful catch, they often return to their original perch.

First Winter Plumage:

Similar to the adult, but with:

• Browner upperparts

• Broader wing edges

• Prominent bar on the greater coverts

• Underparts and bare parts resemble the adult

Juvenile Plumage:

• Heavily scalloped head, mantle, and breast.

• Broadly fringed grey-brown wings and dark tail.

• White underparts.

• Bare parts resemble the adult.