flycatcher\fly"catch`er\ (?), n. (zo?l.) one of numerous species of birds that feed upon insects, which they take on the wing.
note: the true flycatchers of the old world are oscines, and belong to the family muscicapid?, as the spotted flycatcher (muscicapa grisola). the american flycatchers, or tyrant flycatchers, are clamatores, and belong to the family tyrannid?, as the kingbird, pewee, crested flycatcher (myiarchus crinitus), and the vermilion flycatcher or churinche (pyrocephalus rubineus). certain american flycatching warblers of the family sylvicolid? are also called flycatchers, as the canadian flycatcher (sylvania canadensis), and the hooded flycatcher (s. mitrata). see tyrant flycatcher.
flycatcher n
1. any of a large group of small songbirds that feed on insects taken on the wing
[syn: old world flycatcher, true flycatcher ] 2. large american birds that characteristically catch insects on the wing
[syn: new world flycatcher, tyrant flycatcher , tyrant bird]
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