Western Palearctic black-and-white flycatchers

The term Western Palearctic black-and-white flycatchers is used to refer to a group of similar-looking birds in the genus Ficedula:

• Atlas Flycatcher F. speculigera which breeds in Northwest Africa
• Collared Flycatcher F. which breeds in Eastern Europe
• Pied Flycatcher F. hypoleuca which breeds in Western Europe
• Semi-collared Flycatcher F. of Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia

Pied and Collared Flycatchers hybridise to a limited extent where their ranges meet.

All species leave their breeding grounds to winter in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Identification of these birds, especially in female and immature plumages is considered difficult, and several identification papers have been published on the subject.