Callum Macgregor

Afro-Eurasian long-distance migratory passerine, breeding from W Europe to Central Siberia, overwintering in a relatively narrow band across tropical W Africa  (BirdLife International 2022).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		15500000-24900000,19600000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for European Pied Flycatcher

Many ring-recovery data in Europe, but a few data in the sub-Saharan African winter quarters, thus hampering us to obtain firm connectivity patterns with only ring-recovery data. Main flow in Europe across a NE-SW axis of migration, with populations from most breeding regions converging in SW Europe (Iberia). Passage to Africa also through central Mediterranean, of birds from a wide origin area from NW to NE Europe. Few recoveries in SE Europe/E Mediterranean, which makes sense given that the main winter grounds are located in W Africa (BirdLife International 2022). Most recoveries in W Africa from Senegambia to Nigeria. Studies based on light-level geolocators reveal high connectivity: breeders from Fennoscandia show more W winter quarters than birds from NW/W Europe (Ouwehand et al. 2016).

Recoveries by Condition for European Pied Flycatcher

Overall, most (ca. 90%) recoveries due to birds captured alive, usually in ringing campaigns (68%). By periods, however, a remarkable fraction of recoveries before 1960 were due to birds found dead (ca. 30%). This pattern clearly changed from 1991 to present, when this proportion comprises just ca. 5% of recoveries, with the rest being due to birds recaptured alive, normally due to ringing.

Annual Movements for European Pied Flycatcher

First post-breeding movements in Jul, with prolonged migration across Europe up to Oct. Peak of migration in S half of Europe in Aug-Sep (migrants from N Europe pass later than those from W Europe, Ouwehand et al. 2016). Migrants can establish temporal territories at stopovers (Bibby & Green 1980). Important fuelling in S Europe, probably also in NW Africa, before crossing the Sahara (e.g., Hilgerloh & Wiltschko 2000). Most recoveries in winter quarters in Africa from Oct to Mar. Spring passage through Europe peaks in Apr. Arrival to N breeding quarters in Scandinavia mostly in May. Recoveries in winter in Europe progressively more frequent (e.g., Morganti & Pulido 2012). Males arrive earlier than females to breeding quarters in spring (Harnos et al. 2015).

Connectivity by Month by Region for European Pied Flycatcher

Overall, very W-biased routes in autumn, more E-biased in spring, thus giving rise to loop migration across Europe (Bairlein 2001). Birds from NW/W Europe show many recoveries in autumn in W Iberia, mostly along Portuguese coast (Aug-Oct); return in spring (Apr-May) more through central Iberia, up to Italy. Birds from C Europe pass over W Iberia mostly in Aug-Sep; return in spring mostly across E Iberia/W Mediterranean. Birds from N/E Europe show similar geographic pattern, but pass over W France mostly Aug-Sep, over W Iberia Sep-Oct; some birds from E Scandinavia pass over the Alps, mostly Aug-Sep, thus taking a more E flyway than conspecifics. Exceptional recoveries from N Europe in SE Europe/E Mediterranean (Sep-Oct) or E Africa (Dec).

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Bairlein, F.2001 . Results of bird ringing in the study of migration routes. Ardea 89: 7–19
Bibby, C. J., Green, R. E.1980 . Foraging behaviour of migrant pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, on temporary territories. Journal of Animal Ecology 49: 507–521
BirdLife International 2022 . Species factsheet: Ficedula hypoleuca.
Harnos, A., Nóra, Á., Kovács, S., Lang, Z., Csörgő, T.2015 . Increasing protandry in the spring migration of the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) in Central Europe. Journal of Ornithology 156: 543–546
Hilgerloh, G., Wiltschko, W.2000 . Autumn fat load and flight range of passerine long-distance migrants in southwestern Spain and northwestern Morocco. Ardeola 47: 259–263
Morganti, M., Pulido, F.2012 . Invernada de aves migradoras transaharianas en España. In: SEO/BirdLife (Eds.), Atlas de las aves en invierno en España 2007-2010. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medioambiente-SEO/BirdLife, Madrid: 59–64
Ouwehand, J., Ahola, M. P., Ausems, A. N. M. A., Bridge, E. S., Burgess, M., Hahn, S., Hewson, C. M., Klaassen, R. H. G., Laaksonen, T., Lampe, H. M., Velmala, W., Both, C.2016 . Light-level geolocators reveal migratory connectivity in European populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca. Journal of Avian Biology 47: 69–83

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