Flycatchers and chats · Perching birds
Spotted Flycatcher
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Muscicapa striata
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Voice
Call
Song
Call
How to recognize it
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About 14.5 cm long, slim silhouette
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Adults: grey-brown upperparts, pale underside, dark streaks on head and breast
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Often sits upright on an open perch, sallies after insects and returns to the same perch
About the species
Grey-brown above and off-white below, it can look almost plain until you notice the fine brown streaks across its crown and breast. Its long wings and tail are easy to see when it perches upright, while the dark bill and legs add small, sharp details. Young flycatchers are browner, with pale spots on their upperparts.
From an exposed perch, it watches the air, then darts out after passing prey and often returns to the same spot. It may flick its wings and tail while waiting. Its call is a thin, soft, high "tseeeep" that falls slightly at the end.
Open spaces among trees in deciduous woods, parks and gardens give it perches from which to watch for prey. It catches flying insects and may nest in a wall recess or an open-fronted nest box. It breeds across much of Europe and east into Asia, then migrates to Africa and southwestern Asia for winter.
Where to find
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During the breeding season, in a city park or garden with open spaces among trees, watch a prominent perch: the Spotted Flycatcher darts after passing insects and often returns to the same spot.
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In deciduous woodland, listen among open gaps between trees for a thin, soft, drawn-out call that dips slightly in pitch.
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During the breeding season, scan wall recesses from a distance: a suitable sheltered spot may hold an open nest.
