The Ficedula flycatchers are a genus of Old World flycatchers. The genus is the largest in the family, containing around thirty species. They have sometimes been included in the genus Muscicapa. The genus is found in Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species are highly migratory, whereas other species are sedentary.
Taxonomy and systematics The genus was introduced by the French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the European pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) as the type species. The genus name is from Latin and refers to a small fig-eating bird (ficus, "fig") supposed to change into the blackcap in winter..
Extant species
The genus contains the following species:
Image Common name Scientific name Distribution Yellow-rumped flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia Manchuria, China and Korea; winters to Malay Peninsula and Sumatra - Green-backed flycatcher Ficedula elisae northeastern China; winters to Malay Peninsula Narcissus flycatcher Ficedula narcissina Kuril Islands, Manchuria and Japan; winters to Hainan, northeastern Borneo and Philippines - Ryukyu flycatcher Ficedula owstoni Ryukyu Islands Slaty-blue flycatcher Ficedula tricolor Himalayas, central China, Yunnan and northern Indochina Snowy-browed flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia Mugimaki flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki Mongolia, Korea, southern Siberia and northeastern China; winters to Southeast Asia Slaty-backed flycatcher Ficedula erithacus eastern Himalayas, central/southern China; winters to northern Indochina Pygmy flycatcher Ficedula hodgsoni eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia Rufous-gorgeted flycatcher Ficedula strophiata Himalayas, Patkai, central/southern China, northern Indochina and eastern Vietnam Sapphire flycatcher Ficedula sapphira Eastern Himalaya, central/southern China and northern Indochina Ultramarine flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris eastern Afghanistan to Hengduan Mountains; winters in India and northwestern Indochina Little pied flycatcher Ficedula westermanni Himalayas and Southeast Asia Rusty-tailed flycatcher Ficedula ruficauda Tian Shan and Himalayas; winters to Western Ghats Kashmir flycatcher Ficedula subrubra Nilgiri Mountains and Sri Lanka Red-breasted flycatcher Ficedula parva Europe and Caucasus ; winters to South Asia Taiga flycatcher Ficedula albicilla Siberia; winters to Indomalaya Semicollared flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata eastern Mediterranean; winters to East Africa Atlas pied flycatcher Ficedula speculigera north-west Africa European pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Europe; winters to equatorial Africa Collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis Europe; winters to southeastern Africa Black-and-orange flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa southern Western Ghats Tanimbar flycatcher Ficedula riedeli Tanimbar Islands (Larat and Yamdena) Rufous-chested flycatcher Ficedula dumetoria Malesia - Furtive flycatcher Ficedula disposita Luzon Palawan flycatcher Ficedula platenae Palawan Rufous-throated flycatcher Ficedula rufigula Sulawesi - Cinnamon-chested flycatcher Ficedula buruensis Maluku Islands (Buru, Seram and Kai Besar) - Sumba flycatcher Ficedula harterti Sumba Black-banded flycatcher Ficedula timorensis Timor Little slaty flycatcher Ficedula basilanica Philippines Mindanao, Leyte and Samar Bundok flycatcher Ficedula luzoniensis montane Philippines Cryptic flycatcher Ficedula crypta Mindanao - Lompobattang flycatcher Ficedula bonthaina Lompobattang Massif, Sulawesi Damar flycatcher Ficedula henrici Damar Island
Former species Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Ficedula: Indian black-naped blue monarch (as Siphia Styani)
Speciation A 2015 study on genomic pattern of differentiation, also known as islands of speciation by Burri et al., in the Ficedula flycatchers. Islands of differentiation are genomic regions with elevated measures of genetic differentiation. The authors examined island of differentiation within genomes and sought to answer (1) how they are formed and (2) what role they have in speciation. The flycatcher species complex is made up of four sister species and has a broad species range over all of Europe and parts of North Africa. The authors sequenced 200 genomes from 10 populations to an average of 14x coverage.
The authors tested two prominent models for the accumulation of islands of speciation, speciation with gene flow and linkage selection. Some of the expected patterns for islands of differentiation forming accumulating under a gene flow model and reduced sequence divergence outside the islands of differentiation compared to the rest of the genome and expansion of the islands of differentiation as reproductive isolation is reinforced during the speciation process. Based on the genomic data, expectations from the speciation with gene flow model were not well supported. Instead there was more support for the linkage selection model for islands of variation model. Such as an inverse correlation between recombination rate and differentiation, low amounts of ancestral variation in low recombining regions, and a positive relationship with nucleotide diversity and recombination rate. Some of the main findings from the study were:
The differentiation landscapes were very similar across the four flycatcher species. Tests using population genetic parameters to test assumptions indicated that differentiation landscape across the genomes were likely not caused by gene flow. The signatures for background selection highly outweighed selective sweep signatures.
By reinforcement F. hypoleuca vis-a-vis F. albicollis are speciating from each other by reinforcement, as evidenced by differences between colouration in sympatry versus allopatry. This is evidence for speciation by reinforcement.
Description The flycatchers in the genus Ficedula are typically small with slender bodies and rounded heads. In many cases they are sexually dimorphic in their plumage, with the males being brightly or strikingly coloured and the females being duller or drabber.
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Further reading