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Collared Flycatcher

Collared Flycatcher

Ficedula albicollis

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The Collared Flycatcher is a small black-and-white flycatcher of deciduous woods that breeds from eastern France and south-eastern Europe through the Balkans and Ukraine and winters in sub-Saharan Africa. Breeding males are black above and white below with a neat white collar, a large white wing patch and a white forehead; females are browner and easily confused with Pied Flycatcher. A cavity-nester that readily uses nest boxes, it is a key model species in studies of ecology, genetics and speciation.

Did you know?

  • It was among the first birds to have its whole genome sequenced.
  • Where it meets the Pied Flycatcher the two species hybridise, and Pied Flycatchers may even copy its song.

Voice

Song
Alarm call

About the species

Identification

A small black-and-white flycatcher; the spring male is identified by its white collar, larger white wing patch and big white forehead patch. Females, young birds and autumn males resemble Pied Flycatcher, and certain identification often requires excellent views; the voice also differs from Pied Flycatcher's.

Family

Muscicapidae

Size

Tiny (goldcrest)

Colours

black, white

About the habitat

Mature deciduous and mixed woodland, especially oak-rich, as well as parks and large gardens with old, cavity-rich trees or nest boxes.

Diet

Mainly flying insects such as flies, beetles and moths; also caterpillars from foliage, and occasionally berries.

Behaviour

Catches insects in short, agile sallies from a perch and also gleans from leaves and bark. Males sing slow, strained whistles near nest holes to defend territories. It nests in natural holes or nest boxes, laying 5–7 eggs, and both parents feed the young.

Sources

Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrej_chudy, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis).jpg

Sound: Alexander Kürthy, XC314783, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://xeno-canto.org/314783

Sound: SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DM650119_Ficedula_Albicollis_call_alarm_Hiip_TikTik.ogg

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions, CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_flycatcher

See also