Muscicapa striata
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Mass
~15 g
Habitat
Forests
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The Spotted Flycatcher is unshowy and slim, a familiar presence in parks, gardens, and open woodland. You usually notice it less by looks than by its habit of sitting out in the open and making quick sallies after flying insects.
It waits on a perch, often flicking its wings and tail, then shoots out, catches prey on the wing, and drops back to the same lookout. Its voice is soft, with sharp little calls.
It favors places with scattered trees and open space between them. It feeds on flying insects, breeds across much of Europe and western Asia, and leaves for Africa and southwestern Asia in winter.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Spotted Flycatcher is unshowy and slim, a familiar presence in parks, gardens, and open woodland. You usually notice it less by looks than by its habit of sitting out in the open and making quick sallies after flying insects.
It waits on a perch, often flicking its wings and tail, then shoots out, catches prey on the wing, and drops back to the same lookout. Its voice is soft, with sharp little calls.
It favors places with scattered trees and open space between them. It feeds on flying insects, breeds across much of Europe and western Asia, and leaves for Africa and southwestern Asia in winter.
