Birds are migrating thousands of miles right now to raise their families in the UK. Click here to find out more about their amazing journeys, and what you can do to help them.
Key information
The pied flycatcher is a small, flycatching bird, slightly smaller than a house sparrow. The male is mostly black on the upperparts and white underneath, with a bold white patch on the folded wing. Females are browner.
It is a summer visitor and breeds mainly in western areas, spending the winter in West Africa.
What they eat:
Insects and caterpillars, fruit and seeds in late summer and on migration.
Measurements:
- Length:
- 13cm
- Wingspan:
- 21-24cm
- Weight:
- 12-15g
Population:
- UK breeding:
- 17,000-20,000 pairs
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
Pied flycatcher (male)

Pied flycatcher (female)
