Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Swamp Flycatcher
Muscicapa aquatica
Swamp Flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Swamp Flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Muscicapa
- Species aquatica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Swamp Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Swamp Flycatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Swamp Flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.5 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Swamp Flycatcher?
The Swamp Flycatcher is a very small bird that weighs around 11.5 g.
Where does the Swamp Flycatcher live?
The Swamp Flycatcher is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Swamp Flycatcher belong to?
The Swamp Flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Swamp Flycatcher eat?
The Swamp Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Swamp Flycatcher migrate?
The Swamp Flycatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Swamp Flycatcher endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Swamp Flycatcher make?
1 real field recording of the Swamp Flycatcher — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Swamp Flycatcher's range?
The Swamp Flycatcher has a mapped global range of about 1.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.