Spotted Flycatcher Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
A summer visitor to the UK, the Spotted Flycatcher travels from Africa to the UK and other parts of Europe arriving towards the end of April or the beginning of May. You could easily miss this songbird as it flies through the trees or clearings of woodlands, farmlands and even parks, gardens and cemeteries.
They are a grey-brown colour with pale streaks mainly on their head and wings. They have creamy white breasts streaked with pale brown. Relatively small fast birds, Spotted Flycatchers can often be seen perched on high branches waiting for insects to fly by.
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The Dietary Habits Of The Spotted Flycatcher
As the name suggests, Spotted Flycatchers eat mainly flying insects. Let’s get into their dietary habits in more detail.
What Does A Spotted Flycatcher Eat?
Spotted Flycatchers catch their prey mid-flight. They mainly eat butterflies, moths, damselflies, craneflies, wasps, bees, houseflies, bluebottles, dragonflies and flying beetles. They will also supplement their diets with the occasional spider as well.
Spotted Flycatchers tend to just sit on a branch and wait for insects to fly past but if food is scarce they will forage for insects in amongst vegetation.
An interesting fact about how Spotted Flycatchers make the stings of bees and wasps safe is that they rub the stinger on their perch to remove it making the wasp or bee safe to eat.
What To Feed A Baby Spotted Flycatcher?
As Spotted Flycatcher chicks are altricial and rely on their parents for their survival in their first few days, the adults bring insects back to the nest which are partially regurgitated for the chicks.
They also bring soft bodied insects like caterpillars which are high in protein for the chicks to help them to grow and develop faster. The chicks are fed frequently throughout the day in order for them to gain enough strength to fledge the nest.
Breeding Habits Of Spotted Flycatchers
The breeding season for the Spotted Flycatcher starts soon after the birds arrive at their breeding grounds usually in early May or June depending on climatic conditions and the availability of food. The males establish a territory which is suitable for nesting and defend it against other males.
Males will then start their courtship displays which include short flights, singing and passing food to the female in order to show his prowess as a hunter and provider and his strength in flying. Once the pair bond, the female will select the nest site and construct the nest.
The male helps in finding building materials but leaves the nest building to the female.
Do Spotted Flycatchers Mate For Life?
Although Spotted Flycatchers don’t mate for life, they remain monogamous during that 1 breeding season. Often going on to raise 2 broods in that season.
Once their last chicks fledge the nest, Spotted Flycatchers prepare for their migration back to Africa for the winter. They typically leave the UK from mid August through to September.
The Size & Weight Of Spotted Flycatchers
Now let’s look at the size and weight of these small songbirds for the purposes of identification.
How Much Does A Spotted Flycatcher Weigh?
An adult Spotted Flycatcher weighs around 14 to 19 grams. Females tend to be slightly heavier than males during the egg laying period.
This lightweight helps them to fly long distances between their summer breeding grounds in the UK and Europe and their wintering grounds in Africa.
How Big Is A Spotted Flycatcher?
There is little difference between male and female Spotted Flycatchers. An average adult bird is around 14 cm long from head to tail and has a wingspan of around 23 to 25 cm.
Are Spotted Flycatchers Under Threat?
Like many summer migrants, the Spotted Flycatcher is experiencing declines in their breeding populations. They have been on the UK Red List since 1996.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Spotted Flycatcher as near threatened on their Red List. Their population has been steadily declining all across Europe as a result of habitat loss, changes in agricultural practices, human disturbance and climate change.
They are also under threat from natural predators which take adults, chicks and eggs.
What Eats A Spotted Flycatcher?
Adult Spotted Flycatchers are prey to Sparrowhawks, Kestrels, Owls and other raptors whilst Magpies, Crows and Jays will take eggs and young chicks.
Mammalian predators include squirrels, weasels, stoats and domestic cats.
Where Can I See Spotted Flycatchers In The UK?
There are a number of places where Spotted Flycatchers can be seen in the UK during the breeding season which typically runs from April to September. They prefer deciduous woodlands, the edges of forests or forest clearings, parks and gardens, churchyards and cemeteries.
They can also sometimes be spotted in hedgerows and on farmland, on village greens and other quiet suburban areas and even nesting in old abandoned buildings. Another good place to see Spotted Flycatchers is on nature reserves and in bird sanctuaries.
There are a number of sites in the UK where Spotted Flycatchers are regularly reported as being seen, These include;
- Southern England (especially the New Forest)
- Wales
- Western England (especially the Wye Valley)
- Scotland (mainly in the south and east of Scotland)
Many bird watchers report seeing Spotted Flycatchers in the above areas during their breeding season. However, it will take time and patience to spot these small, fast songbirds. Try listening for their high-pitched “tssssseeeeeppppp” call which is a good indicator of their presence.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The diet of the Spotted Flycatcher mainly consists of butterflies, moths, damselflies, craneflies, wasps, bees, houseflies, bluebottles, dragonflies and flying beetles. They will also supplement their diets with the occasional spider as well.
Spotted Flycatchers feed their chicks a diet which is rich in protein and includes caterpillars and other soft bodied insects for the first 5 to 7 days and then introduce them to other flying insects.
An adult Spotted Flycatcher is around 14 cm in length with a wingspan of around 23 to 25 cm and a weight of between 14 to 19 grams. There is typically no difference between male and female birds when it comes to size although females might be slightly heavier during the egg laying period.
