Pied Flycatcher

(Ficedula hypoleuca)

Alert Status: Red – 43% decline
 

Identifying Features: The pied flycatcher is a small, flycatching bird, slightly smaller than a house sparrow. The male is mostly black on the upperparts and white underneath, with a bold white patch on the folded wing. Females are browner.
Average Length: 13 cm
Average Lifespan: 2 years
Average Wingspan: 21 - 24 cm
 

Beak type: Insects
 

Feeding:
Natural: Insects and caterpillars then fruit and seeds in late summer and on migration.
 

Nesting: The nest is built by the female from leaves, grass, moss and lichens, and lined with hair and wool. They will nest in a hole in a tree, or in a nest box or in a tree.
 

Where to see: Pied flycatchers can be found in mature woodlands mainly to the west of the UK, not in N Ireland. The valleys and hillsides of Wales are a good place to look for breeding birds in summer