Graycatcher: song, eggs, young birds & more

Are you wondering what graycatchers look like and how you can spot graycatcher eggs? Then read our graycatcher profile, in which you will find pictures and interesting information.

The graycatcher (Muscicapa striata) is a rather inconspicuous contemporary. He is a fairly common, native breeding bird, which is also very widespread. It occurs in almost all of Europe and even as far as northeast Mongolia. The graycatcher belongs to the family of the flycatchers (Muscicapidae), which hunt for their eponymous way are known: The birds spot their prey from high waiting areas and then “snap” on several insects in flight once. So that you have the opportunity to watch this spectacle for yourself, we will tell you everything what they know about habitat, destination and support options for everything to do with the gray flycatcher have to.

This is how you recognize the graycatcher

The name says it all for the graycatcher: the medium-sized songbirds have inconspicuous gray plumage. The back, head and wing covers are a little darker than the light gray underside and thus form a slight contrast. In addition, the birds are characterized by fine, dark stripes that run across their chest and forehead.

Graycatchers are often very exposed to observe on tree tops or other high waiting areas, where they look for flying insects.

How does the graycatch song sound?

The song of the graycatcher is seldom heard and just as inconspicuous as the bird itself. It consists of a sequence of high but rough tones: “Ziep – ziep – ziep – ziep…”. Graycatcher calls are similarly inconspicuous and difficult to distinguish from those of other species.

The graycatcher song sounds like this:

How do you recognize a young graycatcher?

Young graycatchers can already be clearly recognized as such. Their plumage is of the same basic color as that of the adult animals and the stripes on the forehead and chest are already pronounced. However, their upper side is covered with conspicuous, light spots and their underside is darkly mottled, which distinguishes them from their parents.

What do graycatch eggs look like?

Graycatchers lay beige eggs about 2 centimeters in size, which are covered with brown or rust-red spots. The eggs are embedded in a nest made of moss, stalks or twigs, the hollow of which has been padded with fine feathers or hair. Cobwebs are sometimes used to strengthen the nests. A brood usually consists of 4 to 5 eggs.

Which habitat does the gray flycatcher prefer?

Since graycatchers prefer to spot their prey from high vaults, they need a structurally rich habitat with tall trees or hedges. They colonize open forests naturally, but also occur in parks, cemeteries or gardens. In fact, the majority of gray flycatchers now live in close proximity to humans, as settlements and cities are much more common than sparse forests and buildings have proven to be good alternative breeding grounds.

Where does the graycatcher build its nest?

When it comes to choosing a nesting site, gray flycatchers have proven to be extremely creative. They prefer to use cave-like or niche-like structures, such as knotholes, crevices in broken trees, cavities behind protruding tree bark or holes in the facade and others Building niches. Occasionally nests are also built free-standing or on the ground.

When is the gray flycatcher's breeding season?

The gray flycatcher's breeding season lasts from May to July. During this time, many couples even create two broods. The breeding itself is the job of the female and takes between 10 and 15 days. After that, both parents take care of the offspring. The development of the young birds in the nest takes about two weeks. If a second brood follows afterwards, the offspring of the first clutch help with the care of their little siblings.

Note: Unlike most songbirds, graycatchers have learned to distinguish their eggs from those of other birds. You are therefore against the deception of the Cuckoo armed, who likes to lay his eggs in strange nests and let his young be raised by other parents. Cuckoo eggs are therefore not hatched by graycatchers.

Where do graycatchers spend the winter?

Graycatchers only spend a relatively small part of the year with us. In the late year the songbirds move south to escape our cold winter months. Since they feed almost exclusively on insects, they have to follow the warmth and thus the food available. Graycatchers migrate long distances and cover long distances. Most of the animals overwinter south of the Sahara in tropical Africa. They only return to their breeding grounds around May or even early June. They are one of the birds that will be the latest to return to us.

Support the graycatcher in the garden: this is how it works

Precisely because graycatchers are so inconspicuous, it is always a small sense of achievement when you see one of the little birds. Find out here how you can support the songbirds in your own garden and provide them with a home.

What do graycatchers eat?

Graycatchers mainly feed on insects, which they snatch from the air while in flight. They hunt flies, bumblebees, beetles and even butterflies. They rarely look for food on the ground, but in bad weather they also eat worms, other small animals or berries.

The gray flycatcher cannot be supported with classic birdseed, but by designing one insect-friendly garden you can still do something good for the songbirds. Domestic flowering plants attract numerous small visitors to the garden, who pollinate their flowers, fight pests and serve as food for garden birds. You can create such a flower meadow quickly and easily with ours, for example Plantura beneficial insect magnet. With this seed mixture you can create a long-lasting paradise for little garden visitors in no time at all.

Which nest boxes are suitable for graycatchers?

Once the food supply is covered, you can also provide sufficient nesting opportunities. Because graycatchers are very happy to accept artificial nesting aids. Who one Make your own nest box or want to buy, should use a half-cave box in this case. These differ from the classic tit or full cave boxes, as they do not have a small entrance hole, but a large entrance opening on the front. This entry opening should be 6 cm high for the targeted promotion of graycatchers. However, there are also half-shell nesting aids that are also suitable for graycatchers.

Tip: In theory, any type of cup-shaped nesting aid would be appealing to a gray flycatcher. So you can get creative here. You can even use a flower bowl for this. Make sure, however, that the nesting aid is at least 2 m high and in a cat-safe location.

How can you give the graycatcher additional support?

In addition to a rich supply of insects, graycatchers also enjoy a watering hole in the garden. This can be a welcome refreshment, especially on hot days. You don't have to buy a special bird bath for this either - a shallow bowl or trivet will do. Depending on the size, such a water point can also function as a bird bath, because there is no real difference between bird bath and bird trough.

Note: Make sure you clean your water point regularly. Otherwise, especially at high temperatures, it can quickly become a breeding ground for infectious diseases. It is therefore best to clean your bird bath daily on hot days.

Numerous other garden birds, such as the one, are also happy to have a refreshing bird bath Dunnock, the Black redstart or the Goldhammer.