A small olive-green flycatcher. Endemic to Pacific Coast forests.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The western flycatcher is a small insectivorous bird in the family Tyrannidae. It is native to western North America, where it breeds in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast forests and mountain ranges from California to Alaska and south to central Mexico; northern populations migrate south to Mexico for the winter.
Source: Wikipedia — Western flycatcher Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Small olive flycatcher with a teardrop-shaped (almond) eye ring, yellow-washed throat and belly, and two pale wing bars. Visually identical to Cordilleran Flycatcher.
Similar species. Cordilleran Flycatcher (interior) is essentially the same; the two were formerly lumped as 'Western Flycatcher' and are separated mainly by range and call.
Voice. Male's position note a sharp, upslurred 'pseet' (single rising note, versus Cordilleran's two parts).
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Flying insects caught on the wing.
Behavior. A small flycatcher of moist, shady Pacific forests; sallies for insects in the understory and nests on mossy banks and in tree crevices near water.
§ Range
Pacific Coast
§ Habitat
Pacific Coast forests
§ Threats
Coastal forest loss.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the pacific-slope flycatcher is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support Pacific Coast forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Western flycatcher
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Empidonax difficilis
- IUCN Red List — search for Empidonax difficilis
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Empidonax difficilis
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
