The rufous-throated flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Sulawesi, Indonesia
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily across lowland and foothill rainforests on Sulawesi. It favors primary forest and mature secondary growth with a closed canopy and dense understory. Birds typically forage from shaded perches in the lower to mid-story and along quiet forest edges or river corridors. It is scarce or absent in heavily degraded habitats and extensive plantations.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A small forest flycatcher found only on Sulawesi, Indonesia. It keeps to the lower and mid-story of intact lowland rainforest and is easily overlooked due to its quiet, unobtrusive behavior. Habitat loss from logging and agricultural conversion is the principal threat, though it can persist in selectively logged forests where canopy structure remains.
Temperament
shy and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from perches
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs within forest interior. Often joins mixed-species foraging flocks moving through the understory and mid-story. Nesting is presumed to involve a small cup of plant fibers and moss placed on a fork or sheltered ledge, with both parents tending young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of thin, high-pitched whistles and soft trills delivered from a shaded perch. Calls include soft ticks and tsip notes used during foraging and contact. Vocalizations are modest in volume, blending into forest background sounds.
Plumage
Compact flycatcher with olive-brown upperparts and a contrasting rufous throat and upper breast, fading to whitish underparts. Shows a faint pale eye-ring and sometimes subtle pale wing bars. Feathers are sleek and close-fitting, suited to maneuvering through dense foliage.
Diet
Primarily hunts small arthropods such as flies, beetles, caterpillars, and spiders. Forages by sallying from low to mid-level perches to snatch airborne insects and by gleaning from leaves and twigs. Occasional hover-gleaning is used to pick prey from foliage, especially in shaded understory.
Preferred Environment
Feeds within the lower and mid-story of humid primary and mature secondary forests. Often works along quiet trails, streams, and interior edges where perches are abundant and insect activity is high.
