Narcissus Flycatcher illustration
Birdsong field guide

Narcissus Flycatcher

Ficedula narcissina

A striking migratory songbird of the Old World flycatcher family, the Narcissus Flycatcher is renowned for the male's brilliant yellow and black plumage. It is a quintessential species of East Asian temperate forests during the breeding season.

What it sounds like

A melodic, highly varied song of fluty whistles and trills; common contact calls include a sharp, metallic 'tik-tik' or 'clic'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Rec. Ding Li Yong · JapanCC BY-NC-NDXeno-canto

Field notes

  • The species is named after the yellow Narcissus flower, reflecting the male's vibrant chrome-yellow throat and underparts.
  • Sexual dimorphism is pronounced; while males are brightly colored, females are a cryptic olive-green to brown to avoid predation while nesting.
  • It is a long-distance migrant, navigating between temperate breeding grounds in the north and tropical wintering grounds in Southeast Asia.
  • The diet is primarily insectivorous, consisting of flies, beetles, and winged ants caught via acrobatic aerial sallying.
  • Taxonomic revisions recently split the Ryukyu Flycatcher and Green-backed Flycatcher into distinct species, narrowing the Narcissus Flycatcher's specific range.
Habitat
Mature deciduous and mixed forests, often favoring hillsides and areas near streams or damp ravines.
Range
Breeds primarily in Japan, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands; winters in the Philippines, Borneo, and Indochina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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