British Birds

VOLUME 8 4 NUMBER 12 DECEMBER 1 9 9 1

Identification
of brown
flycatchers

C. Bradshaw, P. J. Jepson and N. J. Lindsey

he genus Muscicapa contains a group of brown flycatchers which
T consists of the familiar Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata and three
species that have not yet occurred in Britain, but which have been
predicted as potential vagrants (Wallace 1980): Brown Flycatcher M.
dauurica (formerly latirostris), Siberian Flycatcher M. sibirica and Grey-
streaked Flycatcher M. griseisticta. T h e Brown Flycatcher has been reported
in the Faroes (Williamson et al. 1951), Norway (Hyatt & Mylne 1952) and
Denmark (Christensen 1960), although Nisbet & Neufeldt (1975) consi-
dered that none of these records was adequately documented. Subse-
quently, Brown Flycatchers have been trapped and photographed on
Heligoland, Germany, in August 1982 and in Sweden in September 1987
(Fleet 1982; Douhan 1989). O n e old specimen and two sight records of
this species in Britain have been rejected (BOURC 1963, 1971).
Despite the possibility that these species may occur in Western Europe,
there is very little detailed information on their identification in the
literature. King et al. (1975) summarised the main points, and Nisbet &
Neufeldt (1975) and Svensson (1984) provided useful information on the
identification of Brown Flycatcher; while this paper was in typescript, the
same topic was surveyed in Swedish by Alstrom & Hirschfeld (1989).

Taxonomy and distribution

T h e subfamily Muscicapinae contains a large and diverse group of Old
World flycatchers, which is split into a n u m b e r of genera. T h e status of
some of these is rather questionable, but all authors place the four species

This paper has been in proof since July, and we apologise to the authors for the delay in
publication. EDS
[Brit Birds 84: 527-542, December 1991 ] 527
528 Identification ofbroumflycatchers
under consideration in the genus Muscicapa. The taxonomy of Brown
Flycatcher is complicated. There are several races which are short-
distance migrants. One, M. d. williamsoni, is regarded as a separate species
by some authors. The nominate race is the only long-distance migrant and
is the only race likely to occur in Western Europe; our discussions will,
therefore, consider only this race.

Fig. 1. Breeding distributions of Spotted Muscicapa striata, Brown M. dauurica, Siberian M.

sibirica and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseuticta. Ranges of non-migratory Himalayan
races of Brown and Siberian not shown. Spotted winters in Africa; Brown and Siberian winter
in southeast Asia, Philippines and west Indonesia; Grey-streaked winters in Philippines, east
Indonesia and New Guinea (after Voous 1960, Harrison 1982, and Wild Bird Society of
Japan 1982)

Brown and Siberian are largely sympatric (fig. 1), but are separated
ecologically. When breeding, Brown is found mainly in broad-leaved
forest, whilst Siberian is normally found in conifers (Dementiev &
Gladkov 1954). Flint et al. (1984) described Grey-streaked as uncommon
in the USSR. On the wintering grounds, all species inhabit a variety of
forest and woodland types, Brown also being found commonly in parks
and gardens (King et al. 1975).

Moult
In fresh plumage, all four species show pale fringes to the wing-coverts,
tertials and secondaries, which wear off with time. This creates variations
in plumage at different times of the year, so an understanding of moult
patterns is pertinent to identification.
There is usually a complete moult after the birds arrive in their winter
quarters. This is certainly the case for Spotted and Siberian, but no
information is available for Grey-streaked. Brown is exceptional in that it
undergoes a complete moult prior to the autumn migration. Thus, in
winter and spring, Brown looks more worn than the other species. During
the autumn migration, all Brown Flycatchers are in fresh plumage, unlike
the adults of the other three species.
Identification of brown flycatchers 529
Identification
These four species comprise a remarkably uniform group of brown
flycatchers, all with pale underparts. Given the difficulty of putting subtle
colour variations into words, we feel that it is better to use a combination
of plumage pattern and jizz to separate them.

Species pairs
For identification purposes, the four species fall rather neatly into two
species pairs: Spotted and Grey-streaked, and Brown and Siberian (table
1). Each pair shares a number of field characters, and it is perhaps best to
place any member of this group into a species pair before attempting
specific identification.
Spotted and Grey-streaked are both rather elongated flycatchers, with
slim outlines. They have conical-shaped bills, which show only a small
amount of yellow at the base of the lower mandible. T h e most important
shared feature is the clearly defined streaking on the breast and forehead.
In contrast, both Brown and Siberian are smaller, and look plumper,
with a more-rounded head shape. They both have a noticeably broad base
to the bill. Except in extremely close views, the crown and forehead
appear unmarked.
279. Spotted Flycatcher Muscimpa striata, Suffolk, June 1930/31 (David & Eric Hosting)
530 Identification of brown fly catchers

Figs. 2 & 3. Four brown flycatchers Muscicapa: Grey-streaked M. griseisticta, Spotted M. striata,
Siberian M. sibirica and Brown M. dauurka (Colin Bradshaw)

Specific identification
SPOTTED AND GREY-STREAKED FLYCATCHERS
Although they are very similar, the familiarity of Spotted to European
observers should enable these two species to be separated without much
difficulty. The main structural difference between them is the wing-to-tail
ratio. The wings of Grey-streaked are noticeably long, extending almost to
the tip of the tail, whereas those of Spotted extend to no more than
halfway down the tail. Although the brown upperparts of Grey-streaked
are darker than the grey-brown upperparts of Spotted, it is the 'face' and
underparts pattern to which particular attention should be paid. Grey-
streaked shows a triangular, clear, white throat patch, which extends from
the bill to the well-demarcated line of streaks on the upper breast; Spotted
Identification ofbrownflycatchers 531

does not show this feature, since the throat is covered by fine, brown
streaking. A malar stripe is present on both species, but is much finer on
Spotted. The breast streaking is darker brown and broader on Grey-
streaked. Both species have streaking on the flanks. On Grey-streaked, the
white of the belly extends to a point, creating a well-defined inverted V,
which is absent on Spotted. Spotted frequently shows a pale-buff wash
across the breast, becoming richer on the flanks, unlike Grey-streaked,
which has a clear, white ground colour to the breast and a greyish wash to
the flanks.
The head pattern provides more identification features, the most
striking being the clear white eye-ring and loral patch of Grey-streaked.
This contrasts with the fine, ill-defined, greyish-buff colour of these
features on Spotted. The streaking on the crown is usually less extensive
on Grey-streaked, being confined to the forehead and forecrown, whereas
it extends on to the nape of Spotted. Spotted shows fine streaking in the
submoustachial region, unlike Grey-streaked.
 532 Identification ofbrownflycatchers

280. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Berkshire, July 1971 (Gordon Langsbury)

281. First-winter male Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta, Japan, September 1983
(Takao Baba)
: .: - K :<.;™.™„ ! «™™„,„,™.^ „ .
Identification ofbrownflycatchers 533

282. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Warwickshire, July 1986 (Mark Hamblin)

283. First-winter male Grey-streaked

Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta, Japan,
September 1983 {Takao Baba)
534 Identification ofbrown flycatchers

284. Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta, Japan, October 1980 (Takao Baba)
BROWN AND SIBERIAN FLYCATCHERS
T h e s e p a r a t i o n of t h e s e two species is c o m p l i c a t e d by the subtle
differences between them and the alterations in appearance caused by
variations in wear and light intensity. T h e safest characteristics are
structural. First, the wing-to-tail ratio differs. O n Siberian, the wing
extends at least three-quarters of the way along the tail, and sometimes
reaches the tip—whereas on Brown the wing does not extend more than
halfway along the tail. T h e general effect is to make Siberian appear short-
tailed. Secondly, the bill shape and bill colour differ. Siberian has a broad-
based, short bill, and, although there is some yellow, this is rarely visible
285. First-winter Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Thailand, October 1988 (P. D. Round)
Identification ofbrown flycatchers 535
in the field. Brown has a longer, broad-based, vertically compressed bill,
of which at least the proximalihalf of the lower mandible (and sometimes
all but the tip) is yellow. The underparts of Siberian show a sooty-grey
suffusion across the breast and down the flanks, with a well-defined, but
narrow, white, inverted V extending from the belly to the centre of the

286. Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurka, Thailand, March 1987 (Protpimol Sukhavanija)

287. Siberian Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica, Thailand, April 1981 (P. D. Round)
536 Identification of brown flycatchers

288. Siberian Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica, Thailand, April 1981 (P. D. Round)

289. Adult Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Thailand, October 1988 (P. D. Round)

lower breast. While Brown shows a basically similar pattern, the suffusion
is never so dark, and the inverted V is, therefore, never so well defined.
Both species show blurred streaking on the breast, which is often obvious
in fresh plumage, but which wear may eliminate completely. Both species
show a white throat, but on Siberian the broader and darker malar stripes
make it appear narrower and more contrasting than on Brown.
T h e head patterns of the two species are also similar, both showing a
Identification ofbrown flycatchers 537

290. Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, China, 1986 (M. Turton)

291. Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Thailand, March 1986 (Protpimol Sukhavanija)

white eye-ring and loral patch. On Siberian, both features are narrower
and more distinct, the latter being due to the slightly darker colour of the
rest of the head. On Brown, the loral patch extends to the top of the
broader eye-ring, and both features are more diffuse along their margins.
Both species show a pale submoustachial stripe, which is often bisected by
an upturn in the brown malar stripe.
In autumn plumage, the presence, absence, or relative extent of the
 538 Identification ofbrownfycatchers

Fir
—?• st-winter Brown Flycatcher Musckapa dauurica, Thailand, October 1988 (P. D. Round)

293. Brown Flycatcher Musckapa dauurica, Hong Kong, September 1986 (Raj Tipper)

wing-bars are in our opinion of no value as specific identification features.

In spring plumage, however, there is a marked difference. Siberian has
b r o a d , off-white fringes to the tertials a n d wing-coverts, giving a
noticeable, pale wing-bar. T h e pattern recalls that of Spotted Flycatcher.
O n Brown Flycatcher, all the pale fringes to the wing feathers have been
lost through abrasion, and it has, at best, only very diffuse markings. T h e
upperparts of Siberian are a darker sooty-brown, compared with the mid
to pale brown of Brown. This difference is, however, not always marked.
Identification of brown flycatchers 539

294. Siberian Flycatcher Muscicapa silririca, China, 1986 (M. Turton)

295. Siberian Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica, China, 1986 (M. Turton)

Other useful pointers to Brown include its more rotund appearance,

noticeably larger-looking eye, and more-rounded crown.
T h e recent Swedish paper by Per Alstrom and Erik Hirschfeld (1989)
has drawn attention to the problem of separating unusually streaked
Siberian from Grey-streaked. They suggested a number of points for
540 Identification ofbrown flycatchers
Table 1. Summary of plumage and other identification features of four flycatchers
Musckapa
Spotted Grey-streaked Brown Siberian
M. striata M. griseisticta M. dauurica M. sibirica

Crown Grey-brown, Brown; streaking Pale-brown; some Sooty-brown;

forehead pale on forehead only mottling on mottling on
brown, feather forehead visible forehead slightly
shafts forming at very close more extensive
clearly visible quarters than on Brown
streaks, which
become broader
and more diffuse
on nape

Lores and
eye-ring Narrow, diffuse, Distinct white Conspicuous pale Whitish eye-ring;
pale eye-ring; eye-ring; (white to buff) thinner, pale loral
white or pale-buff triangular, white eye-ring; stripe, an
loral patch loral patch triangular, extension of eye-
whitish loral ring
patch

Throat and
ear-coverts Sub-moustachial Broad white sub- Off-white sub- Similar to Brown,
area white to moustachial moustachial but malar stripe
buff, finely stripe, finely stripe; brown usually broader
streaked brown; dotted brown at malar stripe,. and whitish
thin, dark malar front; broad, which sometimes throat patch
stripe; throat off- brown malar curves upwards narrower
white with stripe, curving like that of Grey-
variable amount upwards to ear- streaked
of streaking coverts; throat
clear white from
bill to upper
breast

Underparts Breast and flanks Like Spotted, but Variable, from Well marked,
streaked brown; streaking darker clear white to with heavy, sooty-
often shows and broader; pale-brown wash grey suffusion
huffish wash on well-defined across breast and along flanks and
flanks demarcation flanks; fades to across breast;
between white white from centre white of belly
throat and start of of breast to belly extends to centre
streaks; ground of lower breast, to
colour clear produce obvious,
white, with grey narrow, white,
wash on flanks; inverted V
white of belly
extends to centre
of lower breast,
producing ill-
defined, inverted
V

Undertail-
coverts White to pale White White White,
buff-brown occasionally with
dark crescents
Identification ofbrownflycatchers 541
Spotted Grev-streaked Brown Siberian
M. striata M. griseisticta M. dauurica M. sibirica

Mantle and
rump Grey-brown, with Grey-brown Grey-brown Mid-brown;
some streaking sometimes shows
on mantle; first- white tips on
years often have sides of rump
uppertail-coverts
tipped white

Tertials Brown, with pale Darker than Brown, slightly Like Brown (see
inner web and Spotted, with darker than text for
narrow pale well-defined, mantle; white separation in
fringes in fresh narrow, white fringes broader spring)
plumage fringes than on Spotted
or Grey-streaked

Wing-coverts Grey-brown; Similar to In fresh plumage, Like Brown (see

extent of pale Spotted, but more shows narrow text for
fringes contrasting, wing-bar on separation in
dependent on owing to darker greater coverts, spring)
amount of wear; ground colour but this lost with
in fresh plumage, wear; indistinct,
pale tips create fine fringes to
wing-bar, median and
although this greater coverts
disrupted by often not visible
fringes; on worn in field
adults, uniform
grey-brown

Remiges In fresh plumage, Like Spotted, but Primaries darker Like Brown
pale fringes to whole wing brown than ^
secondaries form darker secondaries
wing-panel,
which is lost with
wear; primaries
dull brown

Lower
mandible Pale yellowish Like Spotted, but, On average, has Small amount of
base, extent of on average, pale the most pale yellow,
which varies, but base less extensive pale- usually not visible
always less than extensive yellow base; in field
half length of bill frequently
appears to be
dark only at tip

separating them. First, although Siberian is streaked, this is never so

distinct or extensive as on Grey-streaked; furthermore, the streaking on
Siberian is against a brown background as opposed to a white one on
Grey-streaked. Secondly, Grey-streaked is larger, with a larger bill.
Thirdly, the submoustachial stripe is less distinct on Grey-streaked.
Fourthly, Siberian has dark crescents on the undertail-coverts, a charac-
teristic exclusive to this species; this is, however, not always visible in the
field, and its apparent absence does not eliminate Siberian.
542 Identification of brown flycatchers
Acknowledgments
We should like to thank Tony Baker, Alan Dean, Simon Harrap, Chris Heard, Tim Inskipp,
Steve Madge, Tony Marr, Phil Round, Graham Speight and Mick Turton for supplying
information and advice.

Summary
The identification of four species in the genus Muscicapa—Spotted M. striata, Brown M.
dauurica, Siberian M. sibirica and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta—is discussed. The
main criteria for separating the species are the patterns of streaking on the breast and the
wing-to-tail ratios. The characteristics of the four species are listed in table 1.

References
AI.STROM, P., & HIRSCHFFXD, E. 1989. Bestamning av tre nordSstasiatiska Muscicapa-
flugsnappare. Vdr Fagelv. 3: 127-138.
BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION RECORDS COMMITTEE. 1963. Fourth report. Ibis 115: 291.
1971. Fifth report. Ibis 123: 143.
CHRISTENSEN, N. H. 1960. Brun Fluesnapper (Muscicapa latirostris Raffles) ved Blavand efterar
1959. Dansk Orn. Form. Tidsskr. 54: 36-40.
DEMENTIEV, G. P., & GI.ADKOV, N. A. (eds.) 1954 (translated 1966). The Birds of the Soviet Union.
vol. 6. Israel Program for Scientific Translations, Jerusalem.
DOUHAN, B. 1989. Glasogonflugsnappare Muscicapa dauurica for fbrsta gangen antraffad i
Sverige. Vdr Fagelv. 48: 123-126.
FLEET, D. 1982. Brown Flycatcher in BRD in August 1982. Dutch Birding 4: 97-98.
FLINT, V. E., BOEHME, R. L., KOSTIN, Y. V., & KUZNETSOV, A. A. 1984. 77K Birds of the Soviet
Union. Princeton.
HARRISON, C. 1982. An Atlas of Birds of the Western Pakiearctic. London.
HYATT, J. H., & MYLNE, C. K. 1952. Ornithological observations from Lista, 1951. Opusc.
Stavanger Mus. Zool., No. 7.
KING, B. F., WOODCOCK, M. W., & DICKINSON, E. C. 1975. A Fkld Guide to the Birds ofSouth-East
Asia. London.
NlSBET, I. C. T., & NEUFELDT, I. 1975. Studies of less familiar birds. 75: Brown Flycatcher.
Brit. Birds 68: 68-75.
SVENSSON, L. 1984. Identification Guide to European Passerines. Stockholm.
WALLACE, D. I. M. 1980. Possible future Palearctic passerine vagrants to Britain. Brit. Birds
73: 388-397.
Voous, K. H. 1960. Atlas of European Birds. London.
WILD BIRD SOCIETY OF JAPAN. 1982. A Field Guide to the Birds of Japan. Tokyo.
WILLIAMSON, K., PETERSON, A., & BOTNI, F. 1951. Fugletraek pa Faeroerne: 1949. Dansk Orn.
Foren. Tidsskr. 45: 126.

Dr C. Bradshaw, 9 Tynemouth Place, North Shields, Tyne & Wear NE30 4BJ
P. J. Jepson, 6 Habbersley, near Pontesbury, Shropshire SY5 OTP
Dr N. J. Lindsey, Flat 2, 6 Parkers Road, Broomhill, Sheffield S10 IBN