Flycatchers are a family of small passerine birds that live primarily on insects caught on the wing. They are incredibly acrobatic flyers, using quick starts and stops to catch their prey. Flycatchers feed almost entirely on insects that they capture in flight. They like open environments and will catch insects from an open perch rather than within foliage. While some flycatcher species are generalists, feeding on a wide variety of flying insects, others target a more selective diet. Many of the insectivorous dietary specialists within the flycatcher family target a specific type or group of insects. One example is the gray flycatcher which seems to prefer flying ants. Another example is the eastern phoebe, which prefers flies. Some of the most common flycatcher prey items include flies, bees, wasps, flying ants, grasshoppers, crickets, moths, and butterflies.
What types of flycatchers are voracious insect predators?
Certain types of flycatchers are especially voracious insect predators. Some examples include:
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is found in open scrubby grasslands and agricultural areas. With its incredibly long tail feathers, it is an adept and acrobatic flyer. Scissor-tailed flycatchers hawk flying insects from exposed perches, often returning to the same perch. They eatinsects ranging from butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, bees, wasps, and ants.
Eastern Kingbird
The Eastern kingbird is a nimble and aggressive insectivore. It sallies out from an open perch to snap up insects in mid-air with a loud snap of its beak. Its diet consists mainly of flying insects like bees, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, and dragonflies.
Western Kingbird
Similar to the eastern kingbird, the western kingbird is also an aerial insectivore, catching insects on the wing. Some of its prey items include bees, wasps, flies, grasshoppers, and other flying insects. They use exposed perches to watch for flying insect prey.
Great Crested Flycatcher
The great crested flycatcher is an aerial insectivore that waits on an open perch and sallies out to catch insects in flight. With its rufous colored underparts and yellow belly, this bird feeds primarily on large insects like bees, wasps, beetles, moths, butterflies, and dragonflies.
How do flycatchers catch flying insect prey?
Flycatchers have evolved some key adaptations that allow them to adeptly catch flying insect prey:
- Large eyes – Flycatchers have large, rounded eyes that allow them to accurately spot and track fast moving insect prey.
- Wide gape – They have a wide gape and large mouth that allows them to easily snatch insects out of the air.
- Sensory bristles – Their beak has rictal bristles around the base that act like whiskers to help sense insects flying by.
- Quick flight – They have compact, pointed wings and a short tail enabling highly maneuverable flight to catch prey on the wing.
- Exposed perch – Flycatchers use exposed perches like branches, posts, or wires to spot prey and launch an attack.
When a flycatcher spots insect prey, it flies out from its perch, adeptly adjusting its flight path to intercept the insect. With superb aerial maneuverability, the flycatcher is able to snatch up the insect in midair with precision timing and its large mouth gape. It often returns to the same exposed perch between prey capture flights. Some species like the scissor-tailed flycatcher will even hover briefly in place to grab an insect.
What techniques do flycatchers use to catch insects?
Flycatchers use a variety of techniques to capture different types of insect prey while in flight:
Sallying
The primary method flycatchers use is called “sallying.” The flycatcher perches upright on an exposed branch or wire and scans for flying insects. When it spots prey, it flies out from its perch, spreads and angles its tail, adjusts its path and precisely times an aerial attack to intercept and grab the insect prey in its large mouth. It often returns to the original perch.
Hawking
Some species like the scissor-tailed flycatcher will hover briefly in place to snatch an insect. This technique called “hawking” allows them to zero in on prey. The scissor-tailed flycatcher sometimes hovers up to 12-15 feet in the air to grab an insect.
Gleaning
While rare, some flycatchers like the willow flycatcher will occasionally glean insects from foliage in addition to catching them in flight. Gleaning involves plucking insects off of leaves and branches rather than catching them aerially.
Lunging
Flycatchers with shorter wings and tails like western peewees use a technique called “lunging” to catch insects. From their perch, they make quick, direct flights out to grab insects before returning to the perch without more elaborate aerial maneuvers.
What feeding behaviors do flycatchers exhibit?
The feeding behaviors and strategies flycatchers use include:
- Perch hunting – Flycatchers use exposed perches as observation platforms to spot prey. The ideal perch provides a wide view of the surroundings.
- Stealth – A flycatcher waiting motionless on its perch is nearly invisible to insects flying by. The flycatcher relies on stealth until it bursts into flight to capture prey by surprise attack.
- Carnivorous diet – Flycatchers are exclusively carnivorous, feeding on animal prey like insects, spiders, snails and very occasionally small amphibians and reptiles.
- Diurnal habits – They feed during the day with peaks of activity at dawn and dusk when many insects are most active.
- Aerial attacks – Flycatchers grab nearly all prey on the wing, rarely gleaning from foliage.
- Returning to perch – A flycatcher frequently returns to the same perch between prey capture flights.
- Hawking and sallying – Flycatchers use sallying flights and hovering to catch insects.
These hunting and feeding strategies allow the flycatcher to maximize its ability to locate and capture nutritious insect prey while expending minimal energy.
How does the flycatcher’s diet change seasonally?
The diet of flycatchers changes throughout the seasons:
Spring
In spring, flycatchers eat lots of winged ants, bees, wasps, flies and beetles. Caterpillars become more prevalent prey in late spring.
Summer
Summer diet consists mainly of flying insects like butterflies, moths, flies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, crickets, bees and wasps.
Fall
In fall, flycatchers consume more bees, wasps, flies, grasshoppers, dragonflies getting ready for migration.
Winter
Those that overwinter in warmer climates continue eating flying insects. Species that migrate switch to eating fruits and berries at wintering grounds.
So in general, the prevalence of specific insect prey in the flycatcher’s diet changes with seasonal availability and migration patterns. But they continue using aerial sallying maneuvers to catch insects in flight.
What insects do flycatchers avoid eating?
While flycatchers are insectivores and eat a wide range of insects, there are some insects they tend to avoid:
- Stinging insects – Flycatchers avoid aggressively defensive insects like some wasps and bees that could sting inside their mouth.
- Hairy/irritating insects – Caterpillars and moths with irritating hairs, venomous insects, beetles that release chemicals are avoided.
- Well-camouflaged insects – Insects that are extremely cryptic or camouflaged are less likely to be spotted and captured.
- Unpalatable insects – Brightly colored insects that advertise they are toxic or foul-tasting are avoided.
- Slow moving insects – Since flycatchers capture prey aerially, slow moving insects like stick insects are not targeted.
- Nocturnal insects – Flycatchers feed during daylight hours so miss most nocturnal insects.
By sticking to easily catchable, nutritious and palatable insect prey, flycatchers maximize their chances of catching food and avoiding potential sources of injury or illness. However, flycatchers will opportunistically eat any insect they can capture on the wing.
How do flycatchers hunt at different times of day?
Flycatchers exhibit some differences in hunting based on time of day:
Early Morning
In early morning at dawn, flycatchers hunt from exposed perches waiting for insects to become active. Prey includes newly emerged flying ants, bees, wasps and flies. Cooler temperatures mean more sluggish insect prey.
Mid Morning
As the air warms up, flycatchers prey upon faster flying insects including butterflies, moths, flies, bees, ants and beetles. Insect diversity increases making foraging more productive.
Midday
Midday heat slows down insect activity so flycatchers nap and rest out of the midday sun. Some opportunistic foraging takes place if prey comes near.
Afternoon
Insects become active again in the cooler afternoon temperatures. Flycatchers resume active sallying and hawking flights to grab insects from their perches.
Sunset
At sunset, flycatchers take advantage of crepuscular insects that emerge like mosquitoes, moths, ants, termites, dragonflies, and flies. Perch hunting along the edges of forests and clearings can be very productive in the low light.
So flycatchers adjust their feeding strategy based on insect activity levels at different times of day, but keep using the same aerial hunting techniques. The clockwork timing of insect availability makes flycatchers very effective insect predators.
How do flycatchers hunt differently in open vs. closed environments?
Flycatchers alter their hunting strategy based on the openness of the surrounding environment:
Open Environments
In open environments like grasslands, meadows and savannahs, flycatchers utilize high exposed perches for excellent visibility. The long sight lines allow them to easily spot and pursue insect prey in the airspace around their perch. Flycatchers in open environments also utilize hawking and hovering more often.
Closed Environments
In closed environments like forests, flycatchershunt from lower, more concealed perches since insect prey is closer. The limited sight lines necessitate shorter ambush flights and less elaborate aerial pursuits. Perches are positioned along forest edges or openings in the canopy where visibility improves. Sallying and lunging are used more often than hawking in dense forests.
| Hunting Strategy | Open Environment | Closed Environment |
|---|---|---|
| Perch height | High, exposed | Low, concealed |
| Perch sight lines | Long distance | Short distance |
| Flight type | Longer sallies, more hovering | Shorter ambush flights, lunging |
So whether perching along the edge of a prairie or within a dense forest canopy, flycatchers exhibit amazing adaptability and precision in catching insect prey on the wing. Their superior aerial insectivore skills make them consummate predators.
How does being a migratory vs. sedentary species affect hunting?
The migratory pattern of a flycatcher species influences its insect hunting strategy:
Migratory Flycatchers
- Only visit the breeding range during warmer months when aerial insects are abundant.
- Must build up fat reserves quickly by eating lots of insects.
- Active and agile aerialists adapted for catching flying insects.
- Opportunistic generalists eating any insects they can catch.
Sedentary Flycatchers
- Reside in breeding range year-round.
- Switch to fruits and berries in winter when fewer insects are available.
- May be more selective insect hunters.
- Some gleaning of insects from foliage.
The need to travel and hunt in different areas means migratory flycatchers are superb aerial insect hunters focused on maximizing calories. Sedentary species have more dietary flexibility with seasonal variation in prey. But extensive aerial sallying ability remains crucial for all flycatchers to catch flying insects.
Conclusion
In conclusion, flycatchers are remarkably adept aerial insectivores. They employ a variety of hunting techniques and behaviors to catch insects on the wing including sallying flights, hawking, gleaning, perch hunting, and stealth. Flycatchers pursue insects ranging from flies, bees, wasps, ants, beetles, moths, butterflies and more. The exact composition of their insect diet varies seasonally and with habitat. But no matter the prey or environment, flycatchers remain consummate predators of the insect world with their evolutionary mastery of the skies. Their superior aerial skills provide an excellent example of a predator exquisitely adapted to hunting elusive prey on the wing.
