Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
Small flycatcher, extremely similar to several other species. Generally shy and inconspicuous; breeds in spruce forests often near boggy areas. Migrants tend to be found in denser wet areas within woods. Olive-greenish above with distinctive yellow wash on throat and belly. Black wings with bold white wingbars. Nearly identical to Western Flycatchers, but limited range overlap. Within range, main confusion species is Least Flycatcher. Bright yellow throat and belly is usually enough to identify Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, but some worn birds can be very similar. Song is similar to Least Flycatcher ("chebek") but more slurred, with a soft buzzy tone. Not frequently repeated like Least Flycatcher. Soft whistled call note, "pwee," unlike Least's sharp "whit" call.
Identification
Adults have greenish upperparts and yellowish underparts (especially on the throat), with a dusky wash on the chest. They have a white or yellow eye ring that lacks the teardrop projection of Pacific-slope (E. difficilis) or cordilleran (E. occidentalis) flycatchers, white or yellowish wing bars that contrast strongly against the black wings, a broad, flat bill, and a relatively short tail when compared to other members of the genus. The upper mandible of the bill is dark, while the lower mandible is orange-pink. DNA testing in 2014 confirmed a field mark, involving the extent of buffy edging on the secondaries, to reliably distinguish this species from the two so-called "Western Flycatchers."<p>Measurements:<p>Yellow-bellied flycatchers wait on a perch low or in the middle of a tree and fly out to catch insects in flight, sometimes hovering over foliage. They sometimes eat berries or seeds.<p>The yellow-bellied flycatcher's song can be transcribed as a rough, descending "tse-berk", which can be similar to the more common least flycatcher's snappier, more evenly pitched "che-bek."
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Empidonax flaviventris
- Authority
- (Baird, WM & Baird, SF, 1843)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Empidonax
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- NA : wc Canada to se Canada and ne USA
- Non-breeding range
- MA
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Timor Blue Flycatcher
Eumyias hyacinthinus
A distinctive chunky, upright flycatcher. Male is blue-and-orange with an entirely blue head, throat, and upperparts and a contrasting orange underside from the chest down. Female is also distinctive, with a blue tail, brown upperparts, and an entirely pale orange underside, including the throat. Inconspicuous; single birds inhabit the understory of forest, wooded areas, and patches of trees in the lowlands and foothills. Confined to the eastern Lesser Sundas. Song is a short, rapid series of jumbled rising and falling notes of medium pitch.
Tawny Grassbird
Cincloramphus timoriensis
Large songbird, tawny with streaking above, paler below, with rich brown crown and long, graduated tail. In similar grassland and reedbed habitats, smaller Golden-headed Cisticola has much shorter tail, Little Grassbird is duller in plumage, and Australian Reed-Warbler has plain, unstreaked plumage. Calls often, with loud, grumpy churring calls and a longer call that starts “tick-tick-tick-tick” and ends with an explosive descending trill.
Pacific Robin
Petroica pusilla
A small, attractive robin with a bright crimson chest and belly. Varies across range, but male is mostly dark above and on head except for bright white forehead and pale wingbar. Base of undertail white. Female mostly brown above but red below. Generally unique and unmistakable within range. Inhabits forested areas at a range of elevations. Voice varies across range but is generally a mix of high-pitched tinkling, sweet high-pitched tweeting, and whistling.
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