Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia)

(13 cm.) Yellow rump; yellow throat and underparts; black head, back, wings, and tail; conspicuous white eye-line

The Yellow-rumped Flycatcher is one of the most beautiful birds in China. It is a brightly colored flycatcher of yellow, black and white with a distinctive patch of yellow at the base of its tail providing it with its English name. Females of the species are less brightly colored than males, but still share the yellow rump, making them readily identifiable. It is also known as the “Korean Flycatcher” and the “Tricolor Flycatcher”.

As with all members of the flycatcher family, it is an insectivorous species that will perch and wait for flying insects to pass by. This species is also often seen foraging along tree branches and probing tree bark in a manner similar to a tit.

This species, like many of the flycatcher family, is highly migratory and travels far from its summer breeding grounds to spend winter. In summer, this bird breeds in East Asia including Western Japan, Korea, and much of Northeast China as far south as Shandong Province. Following its fall migration, this species can be found in a wide range of South Asia as far west as parts of India. It shows a fondness for all types of forest for nest-building and breeding.

All flycatchers make very neat, cup-shaped nests that are often lined with materials such as hair and decorated with moss.

All flycatchers sit on their perches with a distinctive posture. They sit upright with their bodies at close to a 90 degree angle to their perch. Other bird species perch with their bodies in a less upright position.

Thankfully, the beautiful Yellow-rumped Warbler is a common and successful species that can be often spotted with little effort. During its spring and fall migrations, it is can be found in city parks, especially beside small rivers and streams.