Alternative name: Red-throated Flycatcher
- Ficedula albicilla
Identification
11-12 cm (4¼-4¾ in)
- Ashy-brown upperparts, paler beneath
- Black bill
- Dark brown legs
- Noticeable white patches at base of tail, black uppertail-coverts
Male
- Bright reddish-orange throat
- Greyish upper breast
- Brownish side of head
Female and Juvenile duller brown above and whitish below
First winter very similar to adult female, but note pale tips to the greater wing coverts which are retained juvenile feathers
Similar species
Red-breasted Flycatcher also has a red breast (not only throat), grey ear-coverts, a paler bill and greyish uppertail-coverts (not jet black as in Taiga Flycatcher).
Asian Brown Flycatcher: the tail would be brown and similar to the rest of the upperparts (or just slightly darker). A pale base to the lower mandible of the bill. They also have shorter, weaker legs, so that they tend to have a more upright position when perched.
Distribution
Breeds in Siberia and northern Mongolia, winters to south and southeast Asia, with a few birds in southern Japan.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
This is a monotypic species[1].
It was formerly included in Red-breasted Flycatcher.
Habitat
Deciduous woodland near water.
Behaviour
Movement
Flycatches from perch, and will also 'glean' warbler-like amongst leaves.
Often flicking and cocking tail and sits with 'drooping wings'
Breeding
An open nest in a tree hole is built and 4-7 eggs are laid.
Diet
They feed by taking insects in flight and caterpillars from among oak leaves. They also eats berries.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Taiga Flycatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 8 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Taiga_Flycatcher
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
