Spotted Flycatcher Identification Guide
What I look like
The Spotted Flycatcher has a plumage full of shades of grey.
Its head is striped with dark grey.
The upper part of its body is grey-brown.
Its chest and flanks are light grey with faint stripes.
My songs, my calls
The Spotted Flycatcher makes fine and high-pitched calls. "tsit" sharp and brief.
Like its color, its song is subtle.
The song of the Spotted Flycatcher is a high-pitched, gentle chirp with little variation, repeated monotonously, not very melodious.
How I behave
The Spotted Flycatcher is a very skilled insect hunter.
Although difficult to spot due to its grey color, it is noticeable by its agitated wing movements to capture prey.
It perches to watch its surroundings, chases and captures flying insects, and returns to its perch.
How I reproduce
The breeding season for the Spotted Flycatcher extends from May to August.
It produces two broods per year of 4 to 5 light grey to light brown eggs, speckled with russet.
Its nest is a cup made of twigs, moss in cavities and open nest boxes.
It typically places its nest in cavities and dense climbing plants like ivy.
What I eat
The Spotted Flycatcher catches flies and other flying insects.
It swallows prey whole except for wasps and bees from which it removes the sting by tapping them on a hard surface.
Occasionally, it feeds on berries.
Where to find me
The Spotted Flycatcher lives in sparsely wooded deciduous, coniferous, or mixed areas (allowing space between trees and light passage).
It is also found in parks and gardens.
The Spotted Flycatcher is a long-distance migrant. In September, it migrates to Africa, south of the Sahara, to find insects.
The population of Spotted Flycatchers is declining.
Droughts and increasing desertification cause very high mortality rates among birds during migrations, which could affect the Spotted Flycatcher.
The loss of hedgerows, orchards, and the use of pesticides are reducing its food resource areas.
Maintaining old orchards may help conserve the species.