Muscicapa

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Muscicapa
SpottedFlycatcheronfence.jpg
Spotted flycatcher (M. striata)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Muscicapa
Brisson, 1760
Type species
Motacilla striata
Pallas, 1764
Species

see text

Muscicapa is a genus of passerine birds belonging to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, and therein to the typical flycatchers of subfamily Muscicapinae. They are widespread across Europe, Africa and Asia with most species occurring in forest and woodland habitats. Several species are migratory, moving south from Europe and northern Asia for the winter. [1]

Contents

They are small birds, 9 to 15 cm (3.5 to 5.9 in) in length. They have a large head, short tail and a flattened bill, broader at the base. Their plumage is mostly drab brown or grey and rather plain. Young birds tend to be more spotted or mottled. [1]

Muscicapa flycatchers typically feed on flying insects which are caught by sallying out from an exposed perch. The nest is usually cup-shaped and built on a tree branch but some African species nest in tree holes. [1]

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) as the type species. [2] [3] The word Muscicapa comes from the Latin musca, a fly and capere, to catch. [4]

In 2010 two large molecular phylogenetic studies of species within Muscicapidae showed that Muscicapa was non-monophyletic. The authors were unable to propose a revised genus as not all the species were sampled. [5] [6] A subsequent study published in 2016 included 37 of the 42 Muscicapini species. It confirmed that Muscicapa was non-monophyletic and proposed a reorganised arrangement with several new or resurrected genera. [7]

Extant species

There are 17 extant species of Muscicapa flycatchers: [8]

ImageCommon NameScientific nameDistribution
Muscicapa griseisticta eating insect.JPG Grey-streaked flycatcher Muscicapa griseistictaManchuria and Kamchatka ; winters in Southeast Asia
Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica by Dr. Raju Kasambe DSCN2172 (2).jpg Dark-sided flycatcher Muscicapa sibiricaAsia
Muscicapa ferruginea -side-8 (2).jpg Ferruginous flycatcher Muscicapa ferrugineaBangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Muscicapa muttui.jpg Brown-breasted flycatcher Muscicapa muttuinorth eastern India, central and Southern China and northern Burma, Thailand and Vietnam, and migrates to southern India and Sri Lanka.
Ashy-breasted Flycatcher (Muscicapa randi) facing left in tree.jpg Ashy-breasted flycatcher Muscicapa randiPhilippines
Sumba brown flycatcher Muscicapa segregataIndonesia
Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica) at Periyar National Park.jpg Asian brown flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica [9] [10] Japan, eastern Siberia,southern India, Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and Vietnam, and the Himalayas
Brown-streaked flycatcher Muscicapa williamsonisouthern Myanmar, southern Thailand, northern peninsular Malaysia, and northeast Borneo
Sulawesi streaked flycatcher Muscicapa sodhiiSulawesi
Yellow-footed flycatcher Muscicapa sethsmithiAfrican tropical rainforest
Little grey flycatcher Muscicapa epulataAfrican tropical rainforest
African Dusky Flycatcher.jpg African dusky flycatcher Muscicapa adustaelevated areas of Sub-Saharan Africa
Muscicapa striata 1 (Martin Mecnarowski).jpg Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striataMediterranean and Europe to Central Asia, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa
Jielbeaumadier gobemouche gris 2 calvi 2014.jpeg Mediterranean flycatcher Muscicapa tyrrhenicathe Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sardinia, and is migratory, wintering in Africa
Gambaga flycatcher Muscicapa gambagaeSudan (region) and Arabian Highlands
Cassin's Flycatcher bwindi jan06.jpg Cassin's flycatcher Muscicapa cassiniAfrican tropical rainforest
Swamp flycatcher.jpg Swamp flycatcher Muscicapa aquaticaSudan (region) and south towards Zambia

Extinct species

There are at least three fossil species which are included in this genus:

Former species

Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Muscicapa:

Related Research Articles

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References

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Further reading