Taiga flycatcher
The taiga flycatcher (*Ficedula albicilla*), also called the red-throated flycatcher, is a small migratory bird in the family Muscicapidae.
The taiga flycatcher (*Ficedula albicilla*), also called the red-throated flycatcher, is a small migratory bird in the family Muscicapidae. It breeds across northern Eurasia and winters mainly in South and Southeast Asia. The species was formerly treated as part of the red-breasted flycatcher complex and was described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811.
Taxonomy and naming
The taiga flycatcher is *Ficedula albicilla* in the family Muscicapidae. It was described by Pallas in 1811 and has also been called the red-throated flycatcher; it was formerly treated as part of the red-breasted flycatcher complex.
Description
The species is a small flycatcher with darker, more contrasting tail patterning than some similar species. Breeding males show an orange-red throat patch, while females and non-breeding birds are browner and more subdued.
Distribution and habitat
Taiga flycatchers breed across northern Eurasia, including parts of Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia. They winter in South and Southeast Asia and use forests, woodland edges, secondary growth, parks, and gardens.
Behaviour and ecology
The species feeds mainly on insects and other small invertebrates and is migratory. It is reported to breed in forested areas and to winter in wooded or shrubby habitats.
Conservation
Available sources describe the taiga flycatcher as not globally threatened and list it as Least Concern.
Key facts
- The taiga flycatcher is a small migratory bird in the family Muscicapidae.
- It breeds across northern Eurasia and winters in South and Southeast Asia.
- Males have an orange-red throat patch; females are browner.
- It is listed as Least Concern and is not globally threatened.
- It has been recorded as a vagrant in North America, including Canada.
The taiga flycatcher is not a Canadian breeding species, but it is relevant to Canadian birders because it has been recorded as a vagrant in North America, making it of interest to rare-bird observers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the taiga flycatcher?
Where does it breed?
Where does it spend the winter?
Was it once considered the same as the red-breasted flycatcher?
What does it look like?
Is it threatened?
References
- British Trust for Ornithology — https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/taiga-flycatcherSupports: Scientific name, authority, relationship to red-breasted flycatcher, wintering in southeast Asia, rarity in Britain
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiga_flycatcherSupports: General distribution, habitat, description, naming, breeding and wintering range
- Singapore Birds — https://singaporebirds.com/species/taiga-flycatcher/Supports: Scientific name, range, size, habitat, local status, conservation status
- eBird — https://ebird.org/species/taifly1Supports: Identification, plumage differences, song, breeding and winter habitat
- Western Field Ornithologists / Rare Birds — https://rarebirds.westernfieldornithologists.org/Taiga_Flycatcher/Taiga_Flycatcher.htmlSupports: Breeding range, wintering range, vagrancy outside normal range