European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) [XC108250]
by Elias A. Ryberg from Straumsbukta SNI, Sweden (song)
European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) [XC450642]
by Stephan Risch from K\u00e4lledalen, Fr\u00f6storp, Tibro, V\u00e4sterg\u00f6tland, Sweden (song)
Nest
A loose cup, composed of leaves, grass and bark, in a tree hollow or hole, lined with finer materials.
Eggs (Guide)
6 - 7; pale blue, rarely with fine reddish-brown speckles.
Subspecies
Ficedula hypoleuca (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) was split by Sætre et al. (2001) into European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) and Atlas Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula speculigera) but this treatment is not followed by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group because Sætre et al. (2001) fail to compare speculigera with the geographically and morphologically intermediate form iberiae. Upon inspection of published literature and museum specimens we find that iberiae appears to be more closely allied to speculigera than hypoleuca and overall these forms do not warrant specific status.
Hybridizes with Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) in areas of sympatry in central and eastern Europe. Has been suggested that subspecies speculigera should be elevated to species rank. Subspecies iberiae sometimes considered unwarranted, being merely an intergrade between latter and nominate. Subspecies sibirica intergrades with nominate over large areas in eastern Europe.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
hypoleuca (Pallas, 1764) - Breeds west, northern and central Europe from Britain and Scandinavia east to western Russia (Ural Mts), south to western France, northern Italy, former Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. Non-breeding western and west-central Africa.
sibirica (Khakhlov, 1915) - Breeds western and south-central Siberia (east to upper R Yenisei). Non-breeding western and west-central Africa.
iberiae (Witherby, 1928) - Breeds Iberian Peninsula. Non-breeding western Africa.
speculigera (Bonaparte, 1850) - Morocco (south to Middle Atlas Mts.), northern Algeria and northern Tunisia.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet