Narcissus flycatcher

　At the Kyoto Imperial Palace, narcissus flycatcher can be heard singing here and there. Perhaps their migration has started a little early this year, as their song could be heard even in central Kyoto as early as the beginning of April. Although they only stop off at the Kyoto Imperial Palace during their migration, they can be observed there until mid-May.

　As they breed mainly in East Asia, including Japan, and winter in Southeast Asia, they are rarely seen in Europe and America, with only a few records from southern Alaska. The ‘narcissus’ in their English name, ‘narcissus flycatcher’, refers to the narcissus flower, and the bird is so named because its plumage resembles the yellow petals of a narcissus flower. 

　When the narcissus flycatcher begin to appear all over Kyoto, one senses the arrival of the season of fresh greenery.