Collared Flycatcher
Ficedula albicollis
Habitat
Canopy
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
13 g
About This Species
Breeds in mature deciduous woodland, favouring oak stands with old trees and natural cavities or nest boxes for nesting. Males are striking, with a bold white collar and black-and-white plumage that makes them easy to pick out singing from a high, exposed perch in spring. Listen for the song in April and May across central and eastern Europe before the birds head to sub-Saharan Africa for the winter.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep a respectful distance from nest sites during the breeding season, since disturbance near the cavity can cause adults to abandon eggs or chicks.
- Wild bird nests and breeding sites are legally protected across most of its European breeding range, though the specific rules and penalties vary by country, so check local regulations before approaching a known nest.
- Watching and photographing from a distance with binoculars or a long lens is the lowest-risk way to enjoy this species.
LCAvesPasseriformesMuscicapidae
Seasonal Activity
189,811 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Canopy
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 13 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.