Flycatcher birds are a large and diverse group of small passerine birds that get their name from the specialized techniques they use to catch flying insects. There are over 400 species of flycatchers found worldwide, excluding Australia and Antarctica. Flycatchers occupy a wide variety of habitats on every continent except Antarctica.
Habitats of Flycatchers
Flycatchers are found in many different habitats around the world. Some of the main habitats flycatchers occupy include:
- Forests – Many flycatchers live in forests, including tropical rainforests, temperate forests, and pine forests. Forest-dwelling flycatchers often live in the mid-canopy layer.
- Woodlands – Open woodlands, scrublands, and savannas provide habitat for some flycatcher species.
- Marshes and wetlands – Some flycatchers like the spotted flycatcher inhabit marshes, swamps, and other wetlands.
- Orchards and gardens – Species like the oriental magpie-robin and rufous-tailed scrub robin inhabit orchards, gardens, and parks in urban areas.
- Grasslands – Grassland, prairie, steppe, and savanna habitats support various flycatcher species.
- Alpine areas – A few species like the rufous-breasted bush robin inhabit alpine scrub and meadows at high elevations.
- Coastal habitats – Mangrove forests, dunes, and other coastal habitats are home to some flycatchers.
The specific habitats flycatchers occupy depends on the species. But in general, flycatchers favor open areas like clearings, forest edges, and gaps that allow them to spot and catch flying insects. They often use perches like branches, fence posts, and wires to watch for prey.
Forest Habitats
Many flycatcher species live in forested areas. Tropical rainforests support the highest diversity of flycatchers, home to over 100 species. Neotropical flycatchers like the fork-tailed flycatcher inhabit the forest canopy layer in Central and South American rainforests. African rainforests are home to flycatchers like the African paradise-flycatcher. Some flycatchers occupy specific forest microhabitats – the brown-hooded kingfisher inhabits the dark interior of Southeast Asian rainforests.
Temperate forests around the world provide habitat for flycatchers during the spring and summer breeding season. The acadian flycatcher and alder flycatcher nest in mature deciduous forests in North America. Olive-sided flycatchers inhabit coniferous forests in the western United States and Canada. Many migratory flycatchers travel great distances between their breeding grounds in temperate northern forests and wintering grounds in the tropics.
Pine forests and oak woodlands support resident species like the gray flycatcher in the southwestern United States. The dusky-capped flycatcher is found in pine-oak forests in Central America. Flycatchers occupy the middle canopy layer in pine forests, often nesting in tree cavities or on horizontal branches.
Forest Clearings and Edges
While forest interiors provide nesting sites for flycatchers, many species heavily utilize forest clearings, edges, and gaps. These open areas within forests give flycatchers ideal hunting perches and sightlines to spot and catch flying insect prey. Flycatchers like the willow flycatcher and least flycatcher are strongly associated with forest openings.
Woodland, Scrubland, and Savanna Habitats
In addition to forests, flycatchers occupy more open woodland and scrubland habitats. Woodlands with scattered trees, shrubs, and open grassy areas provide prime habitat for many species. Flycatchers found in woodlands include:
- Willow flycatchers in cottonwood woodlands
- Ash-throated flycatchers in oak woodlands
- Sulphur-bellied flycatchers in dry deciduous woodlands in Africa
- Brown-throated kingfishers in scrubby woodlands in India
Scrublands with low shrubs and scattered trees are home to species like the rufous-tailed scrub robin. Verdins inhabit arid scrublands in the southwestern United States. And the pale flycatcher breeds in scrubby forest-steppe habitat in Eurasia.
Tropical savannas provide habitat for flycatchers like the northern black flycatcher in Africa, streaked flycatcher in Asia, and Euler’s flycatcher in South America. Species like the brown-capped tyrannulet inhabit savanna and grassland corridors between forest patches.
Marshes and Wetlands
In addition to terrestrial habitats, some flycatchers live in marshes and wetlands. These aquatic habitats provide ample insects for flycatchers to prey on. Some wetland-dwelling flycatchers include:
- Spotted flycatchers in European marshes
- Gray-spotted flycatchers in African swamps
- Acadian flycatchers in bottomland hardwood swamps
- Sulphur-bellied flycatchers in mangroves
Kingfishers are a group of flycatchers particularly adapted to wetland habitats. They plunge-dive from perches to catch fish and aquatic insects. Some wetland kingfisher species include:
- Ringed kingfisher – mangrove swamps in the Americas
- Cinnamon-banded kingfisher – freshwater swamps in Africa
- White-throated kingfisher – rivers, lakes, and coasts in Eurasia
Urban Habitats
Some flycatcher species adapt well to urbanization and inhabit gardens, parks, and yards in cities. Species like the oriental magpie robin in Asia and rufous-tailed scrub robin in Africa inhabit urban gardens. Verdins occupy parks and yards with large trees in desert cities in the southwestern United States.
Urban flycatchers utilize artificial structures for perching, nesting, and roosting. Rufous-tailed scrub robins nest on building ledges, overhead wires provide hunting perches, and TV antennas serve as communal roosts. These adaptive behaviors allow some flycatcher species to thrive in urban habitats.
Grassland Habitats
Treeless grassland habitats like prairies, steppes, and pampas have fewer niches for forest-dwelling flycatchers. But some species inhabit grasslands, especially in South America. Grassland flycatchers include:
- Bran-colored flycatcher – South American pampas
- Vermilion flycatcher – grasslands in South and North America
- Brown-breasted tyrant – southern cone grasslands in South America
- Pied wheatear – Asian steppes
These open country flycatchers utilize fence posts and lone trees for perching. Some nest on the ground in dense grass. Grassland flycatchers favor habitat mosaics with patches of shrubs that provide needed cover and nesting sites.
Alpine Habitats
A few flycatcher species inhabit alpine scrub and meadows at high elevations. Notable alpine flycatchers include:
- Rufous-breasted bush robin – Alpine meadows on the Himalayas and southeastern China mountains
- Ash-throated flycatcher – scrub habitat above treeline on western US and Mexican mountains
- Ground tyrants – high Andes mountains in South America
These flycatchers forage for insects on low alpine vegetation. Low-growing shrubs scattered across alpine meadows provide nesting sites. Some migrate to lower elevations in winter while other alpine flycatchers persist year-round.
Coastal Habitats
Coastal habitats like mangrove forests, dunes, beaches, and scrub near coasts support some resident and migratory flycatcher species. Examples include:
- Sulphur-bellied flycatcher – mangrove forests in East Africa and Asia
- Gray kingbird – scrub habitat on Caribbean coastal islands
- European robin – beaches and coasts across Eurasia
Beachcombing provides food in the form of aquatic insects and crustaceans. Coastal vegetation and dunes provide cover and nesting sites. Some migratory flycatchers stopover in coastal habitats to rest and refuel during lengthy journeys.
Distribution of Flycatchers Worldwide
Flycatchers occur on every continent except Antarctica. But species diversity decreases on continents further from the equator. The worldwide distribution of flycatchers is:
Continent | # of Flycatcher Species |
---|---|
South America | 223 |
Africa | 95 |
Asia | 88 |
North America | 58 |
Europe | 22 |
Australia | 0 |
Antarctica | 0 |
The vast majority of flycatcher species diversity is concentrated in the tropics and subtropics. The Neotropical realm (Central and South America) contains over half of all flycatcher species. Africa ranks second in flycatcher diversity. Meanwhile, Europe has relatively few flycatcher species, and Australia has none.
South America
With over 220 species, South America has the highest diversity of flycatchers in the world. The continent contains about 65% of all flycatcher species. Most South American flycatchers belong to just two families – Tyrannidae (true tyrant flycatchers) and Rhynchocyclidae (flatbills, twistwings, and relatives). Diverse habitats like tropical rainforests, high Andean mountains, wetlands, and savannas across South America provide ecological niches for so many flycatchers.
Africa
Africa has the second highest diversity of flycatchers with around 95 species. African flycatchers mainly belong to three families – the monarch flycatchers (Monarchidae), Icelandic tattlers (Tatadrs) and cliff flycatchers (Muscicapidae). African flycatchers occupy habitats like Congo Basin rainforests, East African evergreen forests, woodlands, wetlands, mangroves, and alpine scrub.
Asia
There are approximately 88 species of flycatchers native to the Asian continent. They mainly belong to the families Monarchidae, Muscicapidae, and Rhipiduridae. Diverse tropical and temperate habitats across southern, southeast, and eastern Asia support flycatchers. Important habitats include Himalayan broadleaf and coniferous forests, mangrove forests, and scrublands.
North America
Around 58 species of flycatchers are found in North America north of Mexico. Most are members of the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. North American habitats like temperate and subtropical forests, wetlands, scrublands, and mountains provide habitat for migratory and resident flycatcher species. Central America is home to dozens more Neotropical flycatcher species.
Europe
Europe has the lowest flycatcher diversity with only around 22 breeding species. Most European flycatchers belong to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. Key habitats include broadleaf and mixed forests, woodlands, wetlands, and Mediterranean scrub. Some abundant species include the spotted flycatcher, European pied flycatcher, and European robin.
Flycatcher Movements
Many flycatchers are long distance migrants that travel between temperate breeding areas and tropical wintering grounds. Others are tropical residents that stay in the tropics year-round. Still others are short-distance altitudinal migrants that move up and down mountain slopes.
Neotropical Migrants
Dozens of tyrant flycatchers in the family Tyrannidae breed in temperate North America and migrate to Central and South America for the winter. Well-known examples include western kingbirds, eastern phoebes, and gray flycatchers. These Neotropical migrants may travel 4,000 miles or more between their breeding and wintering grounds.
Trans-Saharan migrants like spotted flycatchers and pied flycatchers nest in Europe and migrate south across the Sahara Desert to sub-Saharan Africa each fall. Their migrations can cover 6,000 miles roundtrip.
Intertropical Migrants
Some flycatchers that breed in the northern tropics migrate short distances southward in the winter rainy season. Examples include long-tailed paradise flycatchers in Africa and rufous paradise flycatchers in Asia. Their movements help track seasonal shifts in rainfall and insect prey within the tropics.
Altitudinal Migrants
Many flycatchers in mountainous regions migrate altitudinally, moving up and down slope. Warm weather breeders like verdins and sulphur-bellied flycatchers nest at higher elevations in summer and descend to warmer valleys in winter.
Some Andean flycatchers breed in high paramos grasslands and migrate downslope in winter. Year-round mountain residents like the rufous-breasted bush robin move to lower elevations during the harshest winter weather.
Tropical Residents
Most Neotropical flycatchers in Central and South America, African flycatchers, and Asian species like oriental magpie robins are year-round residents in the tropics. Tropical flycatchers may perform local movements tracking fruiting trees or wet season insect hatches. But they do not migrate significant distances.
Threats to Flycatchers
Many flycatcher populations around the world face threats from human activities like habitat loss and degradation, climate change, and pollution. Some widespread and declining species include:
- Willow flycatcher – Loss of native wetland and streamside habitat in western North America
- European pied flycatcher – Declining insect prey linked to pesticide use in Europe
- Vermilion flycatcher – Habitat loss in the southwestern US and northern Mexico
- Sooty flycatcher – Deforestation across its migratory range in Asia
Habitat loss is the biggest threat facing many migratory flycatchers that require multiple habitat types throughout their range. Climate change can desynchronize migration timing and food availability. And pollution from pesticides reduces insect prey for insectivorous flycatchers.
Conservation Needs
Many flycatcher species require habitat protection across their breeding and non-breeding ranges to stem habitat loss. Creating habitat corridors facilitates migration and movement. Banning harmful pesticides would increase insect prey populations. And climate change mitigation can help maintain suitable habitat and migration timing.
Some rarer flycatchers need focused conservation breeding programs. And common urban species like the oriental magpie robin can benefit from wildlife-friendly gardens and greenspaces in cities and suburbs.
Conclusion
In summary, flycatchers occupy diverse habitats on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. Most species inhabit forested habitats, especially tropical rainforests. But flycatchers also reside in woodlands, scrublands, wetlands, grasslands, urban areas, mountains, and coastal regions. The highest flycatcher diversity is in the Neotropics, followed by Africa and Asia.
Many flycatchers migrate long distances between temperate and tropical regions. Others move altitudinally in mountainous areas. Most tropical species are year-round residents. Habitat loss and degradation, climate change, pollution, and other threats have caused some flycatcher populations to decline. Conservation of breeding and non-breeding habitats is crucial for protecting migratory flycatcher species.