eBird Life Bird #414: Least Flycatcher

I've seen lots of bird species while growing up in Kentucky, living in Japan, traveling to Europe, Asia, Indonesia, Australia, Hawaii, The Dominican Republic, several other countries, and most of the lower 48 US states. However, I didn't start tracking and counting the species I observed until about three years ago when I started using eBird. Several months ago I entered an observation for Least Flycatcher. It's a rare bird for the state of Utah so documenting the sighting with photos in eBird helped to confirm its identity officially. Least Flycatcher was recorded as species #414 in my eBird life list. eBird allows average citizens and bird enthusiasts to participate in science by reporting sightings. Range maps for bird species can be updated based on sightings reported by eBird users. It also keeps a personal record for those who use it. Check it out if you haven't used it before by clicking here.

I heard about the presence of the Least Flycatcher in Farmington, Utah from local birders and eBird reports sent to me for rare bird sightings in the state of Utah. It was easy to locate the flycatcher when I drove to its reported location because of the strong voice coming from the hidden bird.The little bird was singing a very loud and steady "Che-Beek" song, a sure sign for Least Flycatcher. Ryan O'Donnell, a post-doctoral researcher at Utah State University and the USGS, recorded and posted the song of a Least Flycatcher he encountered in Cache County, Utah. Click the play button to listen to the song.


Least Flycatcher is one of about ten North American empidonax flycatchers that are very similar in appearance. The sounds made by these birds are often the best way to identify them to the species level. If they don't make a "peep" so to speak, they may end up being lumped under "empidonax flycatcher." This drives many birders crazy because they want to be more specific in their IDs.

Most field guides use words like "small, olive-gray upper parts, medium-width bill, yellow or pale lower mandible, short primary projection, etc." to describe Least Flycatcher. Those words could be used to describer multiple empidonax flycatchers.

Below is a series of images of the Least Flycatcher I observed on Lund Lane in Farmington, UT. I'm sure if I posted some of these images without explanation and asked experts which flycatcher was being shown I'd get various responses and most would ask if I was able to hear the bird at all. Location would probably also be important to someone trying to identify a mystery flycatcher. The images below show the same individual from various angles and in a range of lighting situations. The shape, color, etc. change from one image to another and hopefully illustrate why a single image or glimpse is often insufficient to identify empidonax flycatchers to the species level.

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Least Flycatcher Farmington, UT

Here are a few other empidonax flycatchers thrown in just so you see why so many people have a hard time telling one species from another when they see them in the field. Some experienced birders call this following bird a Dusky Flycatcher and some a Cordilleran. What would you call this flycatcher?

I think this one is a Dusky Flycatcher based on the rounded head, rather long looking tail, light gray with slight olive-colored back, and medium-length, mostly dark bill. The eye ring is thin, not quite complete.

Dusky Flycatcher Mill Race Pond. This one allows a notched tail to be seen where the one above does not. Duskies can show either squared or notched depending on the bird.

Gray Flycatcher at Deseret Ranch. The head is rounded, bill is long, overall grayish coloring, found in sagebrush habitat.

Willow Flycatcher River Lane. I first heard it giving a "ritz-pew" call, the unique call of a Willow Flycatcher. It was found in brushy habitat bordering a lake.

Hammond's Flycatcher found during migration. This one has a slight crest, small bill, gray upperside, long primary projection. The eye ring is thicker behind the eye and it appears to have spectacles on with the whitish area between the eye and the bill.

The Dusky Flycatcher below was first identified as it was heard singing from small aspens and conifers on the edge of a mixed forest. Duskies are similar in appearance to Hammond's and Least Flycatchers. Thank goodness for their individual breeding grounds, calls, and songs.

"FitzPEW!" It's You!: Willow Flycatchers Arrive in Force

Thank goodness for singing Empidonax Flycatchers when it comes to confidently identifying the species! Identifying the individual species among the genus Empidonax ("Empid" for short) can drive the most experienced birder crazy. When I was new to birding I was rarely confident in being species specific when identifying these birds and reporting them to eBird.org. I remember capturing photos of many of these Empids when I first started birding and sharing them with local listervs and experts to get some help with the identification. Getting consensus from these experts was almost as difficult as nailing the species on my own since some had very strong and differing opinions. Experienced birders often asked questions such as, "Did you hear it sing or call? What was the habitat? Did you notice the relative length of the primary wing feathers?"

Several years into birding and I'm still struggling at times with these spring and summer visitors. Seeing them during the spring months as they migrate and are claiming breeding territories with their songs is probably the easiest time of the year to identify them. Look at most field guides for these Empids and you'll soon learn that several are similar in appearance and  they are almost always "best identified by sound or song." That was exactly the case for me Saturday morning as I took a couple of Salt Lake County birding friends to some Utah County hot spots.  Willow Flycatchers were showing up in decent numbers. We heard several of them singing their distinct "RitzPEW" or "FitzPEW" song before we saw them. When I hear "FitzPEW" I think, "It's You! Willow Flycatcher!" Consequently, we were able to identify three of them before even seeing them. Seeing them without hearing their song would have had me wondering, "Which one was that?"

Below is a series of images showing two of the Willows we found Saturday. The first image was captured from the only decent hole I could find through its heavy coverage by a Russian Olive tree. By the way, these are also the first images I've ever captured of this species.

Willow Flycatcher on Swede Lane in Palmyra, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

The next three images get progressively better in terms of allowing a clear and unobstructed view of the bird, the largest (along with Alder Flycatcher) of the Empidonax Flycatchers. Voice is the major field identifier for these birds, but the pale underside, semi-long (relatively speaking) projection of the primary flight feathers, long, broad bill (yellowish lower mandible), and weak eye ring also help in identifying this species. They are known for having relatively flat heads, but the second image below shows that this appearance can be altered when they raise their crown feathers.

Willow Flycatcher Near River Lane in Palmyra, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Willow Flycatcher Near River Lane in Palmyra, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Willow Flycatcher Near River Lane in Palmyra, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)