Chats, Old World Flycatchers

Old World flycatchers, belonging to the family Muscicapidae, are small birds predominantly found in Europe, Africa, and Asia, with a few species reaching North America. Initially classified by Scottish naturalist John Fleming in 1822, the family's Latin name encapsulates their insect-catching habits, and today includes 352 species across 51 genera. Their appearance is diverse, often presenting in brown or brightly colored plumage, and they have evolved wide, flat bills ideal for aerial insect hunting, though some also forage on the ground. They inhabit a range of woodland and forest environments, with many migrating to warmer areas during winter. Their nesting habits vary from well-constructed cups to simple linings in tree holes, and their clutch sizes differ with an average of eight eggs for hole-nesters. Over time, taxonomic revisions, often influenced by molecular studies, have both expanded and refined the family's composition, with some genera being reclassified or reshuffled, reflecting the dynamic nature of avian taxonomy.