About

• Scientific Name: Ficedula parva (small fig-eating bird).
• Size: 11-12 cm; a small passerine bird of the Old World Flycatcher family.
• Diet: Occasionally feeds on figs (banyan, peepal) in urban gardens.
• Behavior: Silent in winters but makes a rattling "zrrt, zrrt" call in spring.
• Physical Description
  • Males: Reddish-orange throat extending to the upper breast, greyish crown and face, and white sides to their blackish tail.
  • Females: Brown overall with creamy-white underparts; no red coloring.
  • Wing Features: Drooping wing-tips while perched, a distinguishing characteristic.
  • Juveniles: Males resemble females for the first 2-3 years before developing red coloring.
• Habitat & Migration
  • Breeding Range: Eastern Europe and Central Asia (spring to summer).
  • Winter Range: Indian Subcontinent (September to March), including forests, woodlands, parks, and roadside trees.
• Hunting & Behavior
  • Perch Preference: Prefers low, open perches in trees, from which it hunts insects by making circular flights.
  • Diet: Insects like beetles, butterflies, damselflies, spiders, and caterpillars.
  • Territorial Behavior: Defends territory from similar-sized birds like the Common Stonechat and Indian Robin.
• Observation & Contribution to Birdwatching
  • Spring Birdcount: Participate in the Delhi Spring Birdcount to observe this bird on March 1, 2020.
  • Locations: Found in urban areas like Hauz Khas Fort, Deer Park, and Vasant Kunj in Delhi.
• Other Information
  • Family: Old World Flycatcher (Passeriformes).
  • Distinctive Feature: Three forward-facing toes and one backward-facing toe, allowing efficient gripping of branches.

Red-breasted Flycatcher