Field Guide
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Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Not yet photographed by the community
Upright perching bird that sallies out for insects.
Species Profile
Red List (UK Birds of Conservation Concern); population has declined significantly since the 1990s.
- Lifespan
- 2–8 years in the wild, typically 3–4 years
- Size & Weight
- 12–13 cm, wingspan 21–24 cm; 12–16 g
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, parks, gardens, and orchards with scattered trees and open perches for hunting flying insects.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland from May to September; absent in winter as it migrates to sub-Saharan Africa.
- Diet
- Exclusively insectivorous, feeding almost entirely on flying insects caught in flight.
- Prey
- Small flying insects including flies, gnats, midges, small moths, and small beetles; occasionally supplements with small spiders.
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, Eurasian Kestrels, and domestic cats; eggs and chicks vulnerable to Magpies, Jays, and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
- Mating Season
- May to August
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4–5 eggs; incubation period 12–13 days; fledging at 12–13 days; typically single-brooded, occasionally double-brooded in good seasons.
- Behaviour
- Characteristically perches upright on low branches or wires, sallying out to catch flying insects with acrobatic manoeuvres before returning to the same perch. Often appears restless and fidgety. Solitary outside breeding season, though males are territorial during spring.
- •The species name 'striata' refers to the spotted or streaked plumage on its crown and breast.
- •Spotted Flycatchers are among the latest breeding migrants to arrive in the UK, typically not appearing until May.
- •They have suffered a population decline of over 80% in the UK since 1994, making them a conservation priority.
- •The bird has excellent aerial agility, catching up to 100 insects per hour during peak feeding times.
- •They often nest in sheltered crevices, on building ledges, or in open-fronted nest boxes, showing remarkable site fidelity by returning to the same territories year after year.
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