Scientific Name: Muscicapa williamsoni
Malay Name: Sambar-Kusam Lorek Melayu
Chinese Name: 褐纹鹟
Range: Found from southern Vietnam, Cambodia, southern Myanmar to northern Thai-Malay Peninsula with some northern population wintering to Malaysia, Singapore and Sumatra.
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: williamsoni, umbrosa.
Local Subspecies: williamsoni
Size: 13 cm
Identification: Resembles Asian Brown Flycatcher but has distinct brownish streaks on breast, upper belly and flanks and broad buffy to orange-buff wing-fringing at upperwing coverts. Bill is also slightly larger with pale yellowish and usually dark-tipped lower mandible.
Similar looking species: Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Brown-breasted Flycatcher
Habitat: Forest, parks, gardens and wooded areas.
Behaviour/Ecology: Usually solitary and aerial sally after insects from perches to which they return.
Local Status: Uncommon migrant
Location: Central Catchment Forest, Venus Drive Carpark, Bidadari, Japanese Garden, Neo Tiew Lane 2, Mount Faber, Lorong Halus, Pasir Ris Park and any suitable habitat.
- FLY101: Identifying Little Brown Jobs of the genus Muscicapa in Singapore (ID Articles)
- FLY201: An overview of brown flycatchers in Muscicapidae (ID Articles)
- Reporting your bird records: how you do it matters! (Birding Starter Pack)
- Singapore’s first record of Two-barred Warbler (Significant Records)
Featured reports: Jul 2022, Aug 2022, Sep 2022, Oct 2022, Nov 2022, Jan 2023, Feb 2023, Jul 2023, Aug 2023, Sep 2023, Aug 2024, Sep 2024
Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Brown-streaked Flycatcher)
References:
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Brown-streaked Flycatcher. Retrieved on June 9, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/brown-streaked-flycatcher.