Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Muscicapa ("Fly catch") striata ("striated")

Adult Spotted Flycatcher (subspecies M. s. striata) at Capo Murro di Porco, Sicily, Italy - May 2018

Featured Subspecies: Muscicapa striata striata
Weight: 14-20g  /  Length: 14.5cm  /  Wingspan: 23-25cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Spotted Flycatcher is a low density sort of bird - a fairly drab species which doesn't always grab the most attention, and indeed I'd never knowingly seen it before first starting this blog.  However when you do see one, it can be a species that is quite bold, perched on exposed branches and flitting out briefly to feed on flying insects. For me it has generally been associated with large shrubs and hedges - often at the edge of woodland or on passage, in areas of established scrubland.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Muscicapa
Subspecies: M. s. striata, M. s. neumanni, M. s. balearica, M. s. tyrrhenica, M. s. sarudnyi, M. s. inexpectata, M. s. mongola     

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Widespread breeding Summer migrant (36,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen at several sites including Geddington, Faversham and Wooler.

ITALY - Italian - Pigliamosche Comune ("Common Flycatcher")

A widespread Summer migrant and locally abundant passage migrant.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - Seen from Capo Murro di Porco 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto