Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki Scientific name definitions

12·5–13·5 cm; 9·5–12 g. Medium-sized to small flycatcher with small bill, male brightly coloured. Male has ­blackish to slate-grey head and upperparts (sometimes paler grey on nape to rump and upper­tail), short white spot or supercilium behind eye; upper­wing black, greater upperwing-coverts mostly white, tips of median coverts white, tertials finely edged whitish; tail black, broad white edges at bases of outer feathers; mostly rufous-orange below, paler on lower breast and flanks, white on belly and undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill black; legs dark fleshy-pink, yellowish-brown or brownish. Differs from F. dumetoria in larger size, shorter bill, different-shaped white wing patch, more uniform throat and breast, more extensive rufous-orange on breast. Female has head and upperparts to rump brown to greyish-brown, sometimes faint pale upper lores and rear supercilium (occasionally as strong as on male), wing and tail darker brown, tips of greater and often median upperwing-coverts white (forming one or two narrow wingbars), tertial edges narrowly whitish, underparts as male but orange on throat (occasionally to chin) and breast paler, bill horn-brown, pinkish base of lower mandible; distinguished from female F. parva by more extensive pale orange below, pale supercilium, two wingbars, no white in tail, from female F. sapphira by slightly larger size, face pattern, greyer upperparts, wingbars and lack of rufous uppertail-coverts, from female Cyornis flycatchers by similar combination of face pattern, orange throat and breast, wingbars and lack of rufous on rump or tail, and from female F. hyperythra by larger size, greyer upperparts, wingbars, smaller bill, lack of eyering. Juvenile is similar to female, but with fine pale buff streaking and spots on upperparts, fairly broad whitish-buff tips on greater coverts (wingbar), buffish underparts; first-year male also as female but with better-defined supercilium, darker moustachial line, brighter orange throat and breast, some white at base of tail.

SC & SE Siberia, N Mongolia, NE China (N Inner Mongolia S to Liaoning), N Korea, Russian Far East and Sakhalin; non-breeding SE China (Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan), SE Asia, Greater Sundas, Philippines and N & C Sulawesi.

Breeds in lowland and submontane broadleaf evergreen and conifer forests, including damp taiga forest, riverine spruce (Picea) forest and adjacent scrub, occasionally plantations, at up to 2010 m; on migration also in parks, gardens and coastal woodlands and scrub. In non-breeding areas found in similar habitats, including secondary woods and forest, usually above 800 m; to 2000 m in Malay Peninsula.

Migratory ; entire population moves S to non-breeding grounds from SE China (Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan) S to NE & E Thailand, Malay Peninsula and Greater Sundas (Sumatra, Borneo, Java) and E to Philippines (Luzon, Negros, Mindanao, Sibutu) and N & C Sulawesi. Departs from Russian breeding areas in first half Sept, from Japan late Sept to early Nov; passage through Korea (common), E & C China and Taiwan in Sept and Oct, and in Hong Kong mid-Oct to early Dec; present in Guangdong Oct–Mar and in Malay Peninsula and Sumatra from late Sept/early Oct to early Mar and Apr, in Borneo from mid-Nov to mid-May (exceptionally to early Jun), in Sulawesi Dec–Jan, and in Philippines from mid-Nov to early May. Return passage in S China Apr, through Korea in mid-Apr and May, and in Japan from end Apr to early Jun; arrival back in Siberia and Sakhalin late May and early Jun. Recorded as vagrant to Bali and Ternate (N Moluccas).

Food largely unknown, but includes small invertebrates; also some seeds and fruit, e.g. berries. Usually solitary or in pairs; sometimes in small groups on passage and in wintering areas. Forages unobtrusively in middle to upper levels of tree canopy, frequently in forest edge and clearings; pursues insects in sallying flight from exposed perch (frequently returning to different perch); also hover-gleans from foliage and flowerheads. Occasionally picks prey from ground. On passage and in winter forages at lower levels of vegetation, including in coastal scrub. Flicks wings and tail when alarmed or excited.

Song a loud trill. Contact note a soft “ttyu”, a low “chuck-chuck” or “tk-tk-tk”, also a metallic rattling “turrr”, “trrr,rr” or “trrrrik”.

Season end May to Jul. Nest a compact cup-shaped structure made of moss, small fir twigs, dry grass, leaves, animal hair and lichens, placed up to 6 m from ground on lichen-covered branch in tree, often fir (Abies); unlike congeners, does not nest in hole. Clutch 4–8 eggs; incubation by female, period c. 13 days; no information on nestling period.

Not globally threatened. Locally common in breeding area in Siberia and Sakhalin; fairly common in NE China. In non-breeding areas, locally very common in lowlands of Malay Peninsula but generally scarce or uncommon throughout SE Asia and Greater Sundas; rare in winter in Sulawesi and Philippines.