The breeding male Pied Flycatcher is easily identified with his bright, white underparts, black and white wings and little white spot on his forehead. In all other plumages they are duller, not so clean below and with brown not black upperparts. They can easily be told from Spotted Flycatchers by the white markings which go down as well as across the wing. Their habit of letting the wings droop below the level of the tail is typical of the Flycatchers. In female, or non-breeding plumages, they can be hard to distinguish from the other Ficadula Firecatchers but notice that the white at the base of the primaries and the pale second wingbar (on the median coverts) are either very small or lacking completely.

Breeds in mature broad-leaved woodlands and parkland.

A fairly common summer visitor from April-August, mainly to Wales, southern Scotland, western and northern England. Does not breed in East Anglia or the south-east. Passage birds are widespread on eastern and southern coasts in autumn and, less commonly, in spring.

A widespread breeding bird in deciduous woods throughout northern and eastern Europe and also in much of Iberia. They become especially common in areas where nestboxes are provided. In many places they occur alongside Collared Flycatchers.

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