Taiga Flycatcher

Taiga Flycatcher
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Ficedula albicilla

Malay Name: Sambar Rengkung Merah

Chinese Name: 红喉姬鹟

Range: Found from western Russia to eastern Russia, northern Mongolia, northeastern China and winters to Indian subcontinent, southern China, Indochina, Thailand and Peninsula Malaysia where it is rare.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 13 cm

Identification: Non-breeding male and female resembles Asian Brown Flycatcher but has all black bill, distinctive blackish uppertail-coverts and tail and whitish vent and undertail-coverts which contrast prominently against rest of underparts. Male in breeding plumage resembles non-breeding male but has rufous-orange throat.

Similar looking species: Asian Brown Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher

Habitat: Forest edge, secondary growth, parks and gardens.

Behaviour/Ecology: Regularly cocks tail and drops from perch to feed on ground.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2017)

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Peak weeks Feb 19-Feb 25, Feb 26-Mar 04, Mar 05-Mar 11 (2 more)
Early date 24 Oct 2022
Late date 23 Mar 2024
The two confirmed records before 2022 were in November or later, but a recent sighting of one bird at Berlayer Creek is a new early date.

References:

BirdLife International. (2017). Ficedula albicilla. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22734119A119301073.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

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