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European Pied Flycatcher

(Ficedula hypoleuca)
Alternate name(s): "Pied Flycatcher"
German name(s): "Trauerschnäpper"

Size: 12-13.5 cm; wingspan: 21.5-24 cm
Weight: 6-19 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See European Pied Flycatcher at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "hypoleuca"

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a male European Pied Flycatcher issuing its call - note the characteristic white spots on the forehead; the front of this individual has a buff tint in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza NP, Poland, May 2018]

Lateral view of a male European Pied Flycatcher in breeding plumage; note the (double) patch on the frons
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Lateral view of a male European Pied Flycatcher in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

NON-BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a male(?) European Pied Flycatcher in non-breeding plumage; note the dark wings
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2013]

Lateral view of a male(?) European Pied Flycatcher in non-breeding plumage; note the dark wings
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male European Pied Flycatcher in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Frontal view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Near-frontal view of a female(?) European Pied Flycatcher; note the brownish colours (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Tirana, Albania, August 2021]

Near-lateral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher; note the characteristic thin pale mark on the primary coverts, under the prominent white wing bar (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Near-lateral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher made to look yellowish by light reflections (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female(?) European Pied Flycatcher; note the brownish wings - note also the NARROW white base of the primaries, which indicate that this bird is of the nominate race, "hypoleuca" (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Tirana, Albania, August 2021]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Dorsal/ventral view of a female European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Direct comparison between a female Semi-collared Flycatcher, left, and a female Pied Flycatcher, right
(photos courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, September 2016]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Coruche, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a European Pied Flycatcher with drooping wings and raised tail, like a robin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Coruche, Portugal, October 2019]

Dorsal view of a European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Coruche, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a European Pied Flycatcher at take-off (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a first-winter(?) European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter(?) European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Lake Constance, Germany, September 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter(?) European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter(?) European Pied Flycatcher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Food, Diet

European Pied Flycatchers are primarily insectivores, but will occasionally also take earthworms, soft fruit or berries.

European Pied Flycatcher with its prey, a caterpillar (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

European Pied Flycatcher with its prey, a small insect (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Coruche, Portugal, September 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

pieflyc_dw_20180511_2.m4a (Poland) Territorial calls (male) © DW
pieflyc_dw_20180511.m4a (Poland) Territorial calls (male) © DW
pieflyc_dw_20160811.m4a (Poland) Contact calls? (female) © DW
pieflyc_jp_20200910.m4a (Portugal) ? (+ Eurasian Blue Tit) © JP

More European Pied Flycatcher sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.