The pied flycatcher — a small, striking black-and-white bird that migrates from West Africa each spring to breed in the sessile oak woods of Wales — is one of the classic birds of Eryri. The Gwydir Forest above Betws-y-Coed holds one of the most accessible populations in north Wales, the males singing their liquid, descending song from April onwards. This is Experience #64 of the Snowdonia 100.
When and Where
| Season | April–July (migrants; absent in winter) |
| Location | Sessile oak woodland throughout Gwydir Forest and Conwy valley |
| Peak activity | May, when males are singing and pairs are at the nest |
| Identification | Male: bold black and white. Female: brown above, white below |
The Bird
The pied flycatcher depends on old sessile oak woodland for nesting cavities — holes in ancient oaks that provide the right combination of shelter and depth. Nest boxes deployed throughout the Gwydir Forest have significantly increased the local population, and the RSPB's nest box scheme allows monitoring of breeding success year on year. The male's song — a sweet, varied, descending phrase quite unlike the simple songs of common garden birds — is the first indication of their presence in the woodland in late April.
The Watching
Walk slowly through the oak woodland and listen. The males sing persistently from prominent perches — the top of a dead branch, the edge of the canopy — and their black-and-white plumage makes them conspicuous even in full leaf. The flycatching behaviour — launching from a perch to take an insect in mid-air and returning to the same branch — is distinctive and fascinating to watch at close quarters.
Experience #64 of 100 — Wildlife category.
Independently written — Snowdon.com