Collared Flycatcher
Ficedula albicollis Temminck, 1815
Muscicapa albicollis albicollis Temminck: Patev, 1950: 92; Muscicapa collaris Bechst.: Reiser, 1894: 91; Klain, 1909: 45.
Order Passeriformes
Family Muscicapidae
Conservation status: in Bulgaria: Critically endangered CR [A1(a+c)+B1ab (i+ii+iv+v) c(iii+iv)], BDA-II, III; International: BeC-II, BoC-II, BD-I.
General distribution. A species with an European type of distribution. It breeds from Eastern France to Ural and from the Far North to the Mediterranean (an isolated population in Northern Italy); the distribution in the southern periphery of the area is punctate.
Distribution and abundance in Bulgaria. A breeding summer visitor and passage migrant. Before 1985, there were reports about breeding mainly in artificial bird houses in the area of the town of Belogradchik [1]. In the last 10-15 years it has not been found there breeding (Dzhuninski, personal communication). According to our own observations, only 2 breeding places were registered in two of the large city parks of Sofia (Southern Park and Western Park – 1 breeding pair in each in 1987 and 1988, respectively) [2]. There are data of another 4 isolated breeding places [3]. A singing male was reported at the end of May 2001 at an altitude of 500-600 m to the south of the mouth of the Veleka River (S. Dalakchieva and K. Popov, personal communication). During seasonal migrations it is observed in different parts of the country in considerable numbers. It is observed more often during spring migrations. Bulgaria falls within the southern periphery of the breeding area of the species in Southeastern Europe and most probably for this reason its numbers in the different years vary. The breeding population could hardly exceed 20-30 breeding pairs. The tendency of the numbers of the species is towards a decrease.
Habitats. Deciduous forests in the mountains and in the low parts of the country, probably also at higher altitudes, large city parks.
Biology. In Bulgaria it is insufficiently studied. It breeds in old forests and large city parks (with old, or at least moderately old, woody vegetation), but in the latter very rarely, not every year and in singular pairs. It breeds in holes of trees, usually a secondary hole in a tree. It most frequently lays 4-5 eggs. There is one proved breeding cycle, possibly two. The first young ones leave their nests after the period from the beginning to the middle of June. Food: small insects. It hunts both over and beneath the forest canopy.
Similar species. The Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), the Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata), the Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva), the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata).
Negative factors. Loss of habitats – felling mostly old and moderately old beech and mixed deciduous forests in the lower forest belt, probably the global warming.
Conservation measures taken. None.
Conservation measures needed. Conservation of the breeding places of the species known before and after 1985 by banning the deforestation of large areas and the so-called reconstruction of large territories in and around areas with breeding places; a more complete study of the distribution, the biological and ecological peculiarities and of the factors negatively influencing the numbers of the breeding pairs in the country.
References. 1. Dzhuninski, 1979; 2. Kyuchukov, 2002; 3. BSPB, in press.
Author: Dinyu Kyuchukov
