Derivation
Ficedula - L., ficus, a fig; edere, to eat: narcissina - Gk, referring to yellow supercillium, rump and underparts in the male, alluding to a youth in Greek myth Narcissus
Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina) [XC285632]
by Peter Boesman from Karuizawa forest, Nagano Prefecture, Japan (call)
Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina) [XC285660]
by Peter Boesman from Karuizawa forest, Nagano Prefecture, Japan (song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds in Ussuriland in south-eastern Siberia and northern Hopeh, in north-eastern China, Sakhalin, southern Kurile Island and Japan.
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Subspecies
May form a superspecies with Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia) and has previously been considered conspecific. Attempted hybridization between the two recorded in Japan. Geographically isolated subspecies elisae, differing from others in song, moult cycle, plumage and morphology, is possibly an incipient species. Recently described taxon Bejing Flycatcher (Ficedula beijingnica) considered probably a subadult form of this subspecies.
Proposed subspecies jakuschima (northern Ryukyu Is) and shonis (central Ryukyus) merged with owstoni, but possibly merit recognition.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
narcissina (Temminck, 1835) - Japan, Sakhalin, southern Kurile Island, wintering south to Hainan, southern IndoChina, Philippines and eastern Greater Sundas.
owstoni (Bangs, 1901) - Southern Ryukyu Islands. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Ryukyu Flycatcher (Ficedula owstoni).
elisae (Weigold, 1922) - Breeds in north-eastern China (Shanxi and Hebei); migrates to southern China, Hainan, and southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaya, and Vietnam). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Green-backed Flycatcher (Ficedula elisae).
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9