Spotted Flycatcher Summary 2007

At the end of the spotted flycatcher breeding season 2007 the SWT survey has received 163 spotted flycatcher records throughout Suffolk, around 104 of which are breeding pairs.  This ‘little brown job’, with its distinctive feeding behaviour of darting from it’s perch in persuit of flying insects before returning to the same perch, has provoked a positive response to the survey.   

However the records so far paint a gloomy picture of the spotted flycatcher population in Suffolk.  The last British Bird Atlas period from 1988 to 1991 showed a long term decline of about 25% in the spotted flycatcher population from the early 1960s.  We estimate that at the time of this last survey Suffolk’s spotted flycatcher population was around 2,000-3,000 pairs.  This year’s figure of only about 100 confirmed breeding pairs is dismal indeed.  The sightings of the spotted flycatcher seem to be in a broad band across Mid Suffolk from the Stowmarket area across to Eye, Framlingham and Wickham Market.  If you have seen a spotted flycatcher, or noticed that they have gone missing from places where they used to be, report your records to Suffolk Wildline.  Use the survey form below or email details of your spotted flycatcher record to: wildline@suffolkwildlifetrust.org. 

Survey form

Species factsheet

Please email all completed survey forms to wildline@suffolkwildlifetrust.org with a subject line of Spotted Flycatcher Survey.

Thank you!