What does flycatcher mean?
A flycatcher is a small perching bird distinguished by its feeding style: it watches from an exposed perch, then darts into the air to seize flying insects before returning to the same spot. The name is applied to two distinct groups of birds. In Europe, Africa, and Asia it refers chiefly to members of the family Muscicapidae, which includes familiar species such as the spotted flycatcher. In the Americas it denotes the tyrant flycatchers (family Tyrannidae), a large and varied group that includes the eastern kingbird, the great crested flycatcher, and the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Oklahoma's state bird. The word appears almost entirely in ornithological and birdwatching contexts and carries a neutral tone. Because both families share only a feeding habit rather than close kinship, 'flycatcher' is a descriptive label rather than a marker of evolutionary relationship, which makes it a useful example of how common names can group similar-looking birds across unrelated lineages.
nounA small perching bird that feeds chiefly on insects caught in flight, belonging especially to the Old World family Muscicapidae or the New World family Tyrannidae (the tyrant flycatchers).
- Any of various small insectivorous birds that catch insects on the wing, especially members of the Old World family Muscicapidae.
- Any member of the New World tyrant flycatcher family (Tyrannidae), such as the great crested flycatcher or the eastern phoebe.
"A spotted flycatcher sallied out from the fence post, snapped up a midge, and returned to the very same perch."
"From a bare twig the flycatcher darted out, seized a passing insect, and swung back to its perch."
"Birders gathered at dawn hoping to glimpse a vermilion flycatcher along the desert wash."
Standard plural, used both for multiple individual birds and when speaking of the group generically ('flycatchers are perch hunters').
"Several flycatchers worked the hedgerow all afternoon."
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is so beloved it serves as the official state bird of Oklahoma.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of flycatcher
The word flycatcher is a straightforward English compound of the verb 'catch' and the noun 'fly', formed to describe birds that literally catch flies and other insects mid-air. 'Catch' itself entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Old French 'cachier' (to chase or seize), which also gave rise to 'chase', making these words distant relatives. The term was applied to the birds as their habit of aerial hunting became familiar to naturalists, and it was later formalized when ornithologists adopted it for whole families of birds, including the Old World Muscicapidae and the American Tyrannidae. Similar descriptive compounds appear in other bird names, reflecting the practical way early naturalists named animals after observable behavior.
How flycatcher is actually used
The word covers two unrelated bird families: Old World flycatchers (Muscicapidae) and New World tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae), so context and geography determine which group is meant. It is used mainly in ornithology and birdwatching contexts and is neutral in register. Many species are known by compound common names, such as 'spotted flycatcher' in Britain or 'great crested flycatcher' in North America.
Easily confused with flycatcher
A flytrap is a carnivorous plant (such as the Venus flytrap) that traps insects, whereas a flycatcher is a bird that catches insects in flight.