Spotted?

Wildlife groups in Oxfordshire are appealing to churchgoers to keep their eyes out for a once common but now increasingly scarce bird.

The spotted flycatcher (muscicapa striata) is an unobtrusive small brown bird about the size of a sparrow, which breeds in Britain and Europe and migrates to equatorial Africa for the winter. Although the species is not under threat globally, numbers in the UK have declined dramatically over the last 25 years.

Traditionally, the flycatcher’s habitat has been woodland, and especially broad-leaved trees such as the oak, but the species is known to be particularly fond of churchyards and cemeteries.

A recent survey conducted by a single member of the Oxford Ornithological Society suggested that churchyards might represent a significant stronghold for the flycatcher in Oxfordshire.

With this in mind, the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre, in partnership with the Oxford Ornithological Society, Banbury Ornithological Society, the RSPB, and the British Trust for Ornithology, are conducting a comprehensive survey during the forthcoming breeding season – and is asking for help from the public.

Finding out about how churchyards are looked after will form part of the survey, as this could provide valuable information on the reasons for declining numbers. As its name implies, the spotted flycatcher lives on small flying insects, which it catches on the wing by flying out or ‘sallying’ from a perch and back. The decline of the species may well be related to the general decline in flying insects.

Flycatchers typically arrive back in Oxfordshire in mid to late May. Being rather inconspicuous, they are most likely to be detected first by their high-pitched rather squeaky calls.

The nest is typically constructed on a ledge, such as in a dry-stone wall or in creeping foliage such as ivy, and the birds may be seen perched on gravestones from which they sally, or where they can sit while feeding their young.

Although the squeaky call, upright perching posture and sallying behaviour of the spotted flycatcher make it unmistakable to the birdwatcher, inexperienced observers might confuse it with other birds such as the dunnock, female house sparrow and even juvenile robins. Be aware of these possibilities when looking out for it.

For more information, or to send in your records, visit Oxford Ornithological Society or contact Gavin Bird Oxfordshire Records Centre Manager at gavin.bird@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre
c/o The Oxfordshire Museum
Fletchers House
Park Street
Woodstock
Oxon OX20 1SN
01993 814147

Other Links
RSPB - Spotted Flycatcher