European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Not Evaluated · IUCN Red List

NENot EvaluatedInvertebratesForestCavity nestTiny · 14 g

What the European Pied Flycatcher sounds like

Sonogram of the European Pied Flycatcher: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Grégoire Chauvot · Song · Leksand Municipality, Dalarnas län, Sweden · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the European Pied Flycatcher: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Nocturnal flight call · Cabane Vauban (Carolles), Manche, Normandie, France · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the European Pied Flycatcher: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Grégoire Chauvot · Song · Leksand Municipality, Dalarnas län, Sweden · CC0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

This is a 12–13.5 centimetres (4.7–5.3 in) long bird. The breeding male is mainly black above and white below, with a large white wing patch, white tail sides and a small forehead patch. The Iberian subspecies F. h. iberiae (known as Iberian pied flycatcher) has a larger forehead patch and a pale rump. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles have the black replaced by a pale brown, and may be very difficult to distinguish from other Ficedula flycatchers, particularly the collared flycatcher, with which this species hybridises to a limited extent.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the European Pied Flycatcher

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 6 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is June, the month with the most records.

Where to see the European Pied Flycatcher

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 82 countries with regular records, and 9 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Chad, Mali, Niger, Azerbaijan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Congo - Kinshasa, South Africa, China.

About the European Pied Flycatcher

The European pied flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. One of the four species of Western Palearctic black-and-white flycatchers, it hybridises to a limited extent with the collared flycatcher. It breeds in most of Europe and across the Western Palearctic. It is migratory, wintering mainly in tropical Africa. It usually builds its nests in holes on oak trees. This species practices polygyny, usually bigamy, with the male travelling large distances to acquire a second mate. The male will mate with the secondary female and then return to the primary female in order to help with aspects of child rearing, such as feeding.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: European Pied Flycatcher vs European Robin · European Pied Flycatcher vs Red-breasted Flycatcher

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