noun
Old World flycatcher
Refers to any bird of the family Muscicapidae, especially the typical flycatchers of subfamily Muscicapinae. A technical ornithological term; in everyday contexts, the katakana name is used.
ヒタキは日本でも見られる小鳥です。
The Old World flycatcher is a small bird that can also be seen in Japan.
図鑑でヒタキの仲間を調べた。
I looked up flycatcher species in the field guide.
The Japanese name ヒタキ (火焚き) originally meant 'fire-lighter' or 'fire-keeper', possibly from the bird's habit of flicking its tail like a flame, or from its reddish breast resembling fire. The kanji 鶲 is a kokuji created for this bird.