The Asian brown flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The word Muscicapa comes from the Latin musca, a fly and capere, to catch. The specific dauurica refers to Dauria, an area of south-eastern Siberia named after a local nomadic tribe.
Region
East, South and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds from eastern Siberia, Mongolia, northeast China, Korea and Japan, and migrates to the Indian subcontinent, southern China, mainland Southeast Asia and parts of Indonesia for winter. It favors open woodlands, forest edges, secondary growth, parks and gardens. During migration and in winter it is common in lightly wooded areas, plantations and mangroves as well. Typically uses perches in mid-canopy or along clearings to launch brief sallies for insects.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A small, unobtrusive flycatcher that perches quietly and sallies out to snatch insects on the wing. The genus name Muscicapa derives from Latin for 'fly-catcher,' and the specific epithet dauurica references Dauria, a region of southeastern Siberia. It is a long-distance migrant, breeding in temperate East Asia and wintering across South and Southeast Asia.
Asian brown flycatcher near Coimbatore, India
Mai Po, Hong Kong
Temperament
quiet, alert and somewhat solitary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from a perch
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs, defending small feeding territories during the breeding season. Nests in tree cavities or sheltered crevices, occasionally on building ledges; both parents feed the young. Outside the breeding season it may join loose mixed flocks while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a soft, thin series of high-pitched notes, often delivered from a shaded perch. Calls include sharp ticks and a dry, thin 'tsip' given in flight or when alarmed.
