First Record of Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta in Java

Arif Budiawan1 and Lukman Nurdini2

1

Seriwang (Serikat Birdwatcher Ngalam), Perum. Griya Shanta H263, Malang. E-mail :
2
Sarang Burung Surabaya, Baruk Tengah VIII / 21 Kedung Baruk, Surabaya. E-mail : ..

Summary. A Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta was observed at Tahura R. Soerjo

resort Sendi (1,100 m asl), Mojokerto, East Java on 22 January 2014. The encounter with this
migratory species is the first record in Java, and is supported by photographs which is very
helpful in identification and discussion.

22 January 2014, during our observation in a pine forest at Tahura R. Soerjo, we found several
bird species for instance the Blue Whistling-thrush Myophonus caeruleus and other members of
Muscicapidae family such as the Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedulla narcissina and the Mugimaki
Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki. A brown flycatcher then perched not very far from us, and we
thought that it was a female individual of a flycatcher that we have seen before. However, we got
attracted by it for its size is slightly bigger than the Grey-headed Flycatcher Culicicapa
ceylonensis, the Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra, and the Indigo Flycatcher
Eumyias indigo that we commonly see in this area. After taking adequate photos, we tried to
identify the species by matching the photos with the illustrations and description in MacKinnons
bird identification guide (2010).
Apparently, the characteristics of the bird we found was closest to that of the Grey-streaked
Flycatcher which in reference is mentioned to be distributed only as far as Borneo. We uploaded
the photo to the Facebook group of Pengamat Burung Indonesia (Birdwatchers of Indonesia)
and receive much help from senior and experts in reassuring that it is indeed the Grey-streaked
Flycatcher.

Photo 1. The Grey-streaked Flycatcher in the Photo 2. The same individual as in photo 1
pine forest at Tahura R. Soerjo (22 January showing the eye-ring and white narrow line on
the upper mandible. The wings extends almost

2014) displaying its distinct and well- as long as the tail.

demarcated streaks on the breast. The wings
extends almost as long as the tail.

The Grey-streaked Flycatcher is characterized by its noticeably long wings that extend almost to
the tip of the tail (as in Photo 1). It shows a triangular, clear, white throat patch which extends
from the bill to the well-demarcated line of streaks on the upper breast. On this bird, the white of
the belly extends to a point, creating a well-defined inverted V, which is absent on other brown
flycatchers (Bradshaw et al, 1991). During the encounter, the bird produced repeated thrill in
several rapid tempo tziit..tziit..tziit
In MacKinnon (2010) it is mentioned that the grey-streaked Flycatcher is a migratory species
breeding in Northeast Asia and migrates as far as South China, Phillipines, Sulawesi, and Papua
in winter. It also is a rare visitor recorded in Sabah, West Borneo, and East Borneo.
REFERENCES
Sukmantoro, W., M. Irham, W. Novarino, F. Hasudungan, N. Kemp & M. Muchtar. 2007. Daftar
Burung Indonesia no. 2. Indonesian Ornithologists Union, Bogor.
MacKinnon, J., K. Phillipps & B. van Balen. 2010. Burung-Burung di Sumatra, Jawa, Bali dan
Kalimantan. Burung Indonesia, Bogor.
Bradshaw C., P. J. Jepson and N. J. Lindsey. 1991. Identification of Brown Flycatcher. British
Birds 84: 527-542.