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 pied flycatcher F. speculigera which breeds in Northwest Africa
 * Collared flycatcher F. albicollis which breeds in Eastern Europe
 * European pied flycatcher F. hypoleuca which breeds in Western Europe
 * Semi-collared flycatcher F. semitorquata of Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia

European pied and collared flycatchers hybridise to a limited extent where their ranges meet; the hybrids have reduced fitness and usually do not survive their first winter (Parkin 2003). Female hybrids are usually sterile (Gelter et al. 1992; see also Haldane's Rule).

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