Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
This bird is a classic 'sit-and-wait' predator, often returning to the exact same perch after performing a looping, acrobatic flight to catch an insect mid-air.
- Scientific name
- Muscicapa striata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Muscicapidae › Muscicapa
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous and mixed woodlands, forest edges, parks, large gardens, and orchards.
- Diet
- Flying insects, primarily flies, midges, wasps, bees, moths, and butterflies.
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Size
- 13.5 to 15 cm in length, with a wingspan of 23 to 25 cm, weighing about 14 to 20 grams.
- Lifespan
- 2 to 5 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Decline in insect prey due to widespread pesticide use, loss of nesting sites in mature trees, and habitat degradation along migration routes.
- Safe to approach?
- This species is completely harmless to humans. If you encounter one, maintain a safe distance of 5-10 meters to avoid disrupting its hunting or nesting behavior. Observe its spectacular aerial acrobatics quietly. If you find an injured bird, contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately.
The spotted flycatcher ( Muscicapa striata ) is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It breeds in most of Europe and western Asia, and is migratory, wintering in Africa and south western Asia. It is declining in parts of its range.
Photo: Marton Berntsen, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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