Breeding of the Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) in an old House Martin nest (Delichon urbicum) on a building wall in Slovakia

Abstract

Breeding of the Red-breasted Flycatcher in holes in building walls is mentioned in the ornithological literature, but not for central Europe or the former Czechoslovakia. However, the records of breeding of this flycatcher in another species nests are totally absenting. In this article, we describe and document the first record of nesting by this species in an old House Martin nest located on a building wall in the abandoned spa resort in Korytnica, the Central Slovakia. The nest was found on 14. July 2020 and contained four 10–13 days old nestlings. Both adult sexes were observed feeding the nestlings. One year later, on 11. July 2021, a flycatcher pair was found breeding again in the same nest, also with four nestlings of similar age. This is, as far as we know, the first known breeding record of this species in an old House Martin nest and the first occurrence of using the same nest during two successive breeding seasons in the former Czechoslovakia.

Keywords

• flycatcher nesting in house martin nest
• re-use of the same nesting site
• red-breasted flycatcher
• ficedula parva