Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Muscicapa williamsoni
Family: Chats, Old World Flycatchers, and Allies · Status: Uncommon migrant · Size: 13 cm · Conservation: Not Evaluated
Resident from southern Vietnam, Cambodia, and southern Myanmar to the northern Thai-Malay Peninsula; some northern populations winter south to Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra.
Juveniles and immatures are most often seen in Singapore during Jul–Sep, with warm brown upperparts, warm brown streaking on breast and flanks, obvious broad buff fringes to upperwing-coverts, and sometimes, pencil-thin white streaking on crown. The buffish wing fringes and overall warmer brown plumage set apart these birds from all other Singapore Muscicapa species. Worn adults are more difficult to identify, as they may lack streaking entirely. Instead, they are best identified by their plain-faced appearance (due to indistinct eyering and lack of white on lores) and more extensive pale base to lower mandible. Sometimes the entire lower mandible is pale, which would be very unusual in other Muscicapa including Asian Brown. Buffish fringing to coverts may be indistinct or lost in worn adult plumage.
Forest, parks, gardens, and wooded areas.