Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata   [Pallas, 1764]

Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

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Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae
BTO Codes: SF, SPOFL EURING No: 13350
Number in Britain: 59 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Depleted
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: striata recorded in Britain (of 7 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 14 cm Wingspan: 24 cm Weight: M/F: 17 g    
Scientific name from: L.: musca=a fly + capere=to seize and L.: stria=a line
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe, w&c Asia, WINTERS: Africa
Habitat: Open woodland, gardens
Diet: Mainly flying insects (esp. Diptera and Hymenoptera), hunts from perch

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Local Atlases)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 59 thousand territories in 2000     Note: Probably now an overestimate
    First Record: 1666 [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    Conservation Status: RED because Recent Breeding Population Decline,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 RED     1996-2001 RED  
   Races of Concern: striata RED (Recent Decline)
UK Biodiversity Action Plan (Lead Partner: RSPB)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Common in: Villages, Deciduous Wood
    Also found in: Pasture Farmland, Coniferous Wood
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Average Day of First Arrival: 28 Apr
European Population Size:
    Summer: 6 to 10 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Survey Results: BirdTrack

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 19 x 14 mm Egg Weight: 1.9 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 186
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs 4.26 ± 0.78 (2 - 7) N = 2934
Incubation: 13- 15 days 13.57 ± 1.88 (10.5 - 17.5) N = 2933   by the: Female
Fledging: 13 - 16days 14.70 ± 2.15 (11 - 18) N = 4212 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 6 Jun (21 May - 15 Jul)
Number of Broods: 2
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: 1401 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: 0.493 ± 0.033       
Juvenile Survival: 0.465 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 7 years 10 months 7 days (set in 1963)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics

Ring Size: A
Wing Length Adult: 86.4 ± 2.1 Range 83 - 90 mm, N =1789
Juvenile: 86.0 ± 2.5 82 - 90 mm, N =938
Male: 86.6 ± 2.0 84 - 90 mm, N =251
Female: 85.3 ± 1.7 83 - 88 mm, N =181
Weight Adult: 14.47 ± 1.22 Range 12.90 - 16.60 g , N =1650
Juvenile: 14.93 ± 4.86 12.80 - 17.40 g , N =845
Male: 14.04 ± 0.95 12.80 - 15.40 g , N =224
Female: 15.15 ± 1.69 13.20 - 18.40 g , N =158
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

 
Gaelic: Breacan-sgiobalt Welsh: Gwybedog Mannog
Danish: Grå Fluesnapper Dutch: Bruine vliegenvanger
Finnish: Ruskosieppo French: Gobemouche brun
German: Brauner Fliegenschnäpper Hungarian: Barna légykapó
Icelandic: Mökkurgrípur Irish: Cuilire Liath
Italian: Pigliamosche Norwegian: Brunfluesnapper
Polish: Mucholówka szara Portuguese: Papa-moscas-pardo
Spanish: Papamoscas gris Swedish: Glasögonflugsnappare

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Clarke, J. 2005 The Spotted What!? Plum Tree Publishing, Cowsden, Worcs. [598.917 CLA]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead