What they like

Peace and a clear view. A high lookout (dead branch, post, wire) with open space in front to pluck insects from the air. Breeds happily in semi-open woodland, orchards, parks, yards with old trees and also by farm sheds. Help it out: leave a few dead branches, don’t prune everything neat, put a perch-post along a field edge or meadow. Plant native, insect-rich species: willow, hawthorn, blackthorn, rowan, elder. Leave a corner with rough vegetation.

Ecological importance

An insect-eater through and through: catches flies, mosquitoes, beetles and moths. A small aerial hunter that helps keep the insect balance healthy. Fewer insects = fewer spotted flycatchers. It’s that simple.

When in the Netherlands

May through September. A migratory bird; it spends the winter in Africa.

Status

Fairly common species, but has been in clear decline for years. More scruffy corners and more insects really make a difference.