Gray Flycatcher
Empidonax wrightii
Drab, pale-gray flycatcher with little plumage contrast; very similar to other flycatchers, especially Dusky and Hammond's. Often best identified by unique habit of wagging tail downward. Breeding habitat also distinctive: lower, more open habitat than other flycatchers, usually in sagebrush or open juniper forest. In migration and winter, habitat overlaps more with other flycatchers, but still tends to prefer more open areas. Other subtle differences in appearance include shorter wingtips, longer bill, and paler plumage. Song includes hoarse "chivik" phrase and higher, clearer "pseeoo." Call similar to Dusky. Without an excellent view, sometimes best left unidentified.
Identification
American gray flycatchers are small birds, but larger than most Empidonax flycatchers. A typical adult measures 15 cm (5.9 in) in length, 22 cm (8.7 in) in wingspan, and 12.5 g (0.44 oz) in mass.<p>Adults have pale gray upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with a faint olive tinge after molting in fall. Underparts are whitish, but washed slightly with yellow in fresh plumage. They have white wing bars and an inconspicuous white eye ring. There is a pale supraloral band stretching above the base of the bill. Relative to other North American Empidonax flycatchers, the American gray flycatcher has a long, narrow bill, a long tail, and the mandible tends to be paler for more of its length.<p>Juveniles are similar in appearance to adults, but with stronger olive and yellow tones. Also, young birds have buffy wing bars and brownish breasts.<p>Only the male sings. The song is a strong, two syllable note described as chuwip or wilip. A weaker, higher-pitched teeap or seep is often inserted into the song. Both sexes give a dry pit or wit call. Females call often when foraging or collecting nest materials.
Taxonomy
The American gray flycatcher is very similar morphologically to the American dusky flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri), which has been problematic in taxonomy. When described as a species in 1889, the American gray flycatcher was named Empidonax griseus. This name was reduced to synonymy when it was discovered that the type specimen designated for the dusky flycatcher was in fact an American gray flycatcher. The name then in use for dusky flycatcher was Wright's flycatcher (E. wrightii), a name proposed in 1858. Because the name wrightii took precedence, it was applied to the American gray flycatcher, leaving the dusky flycatcher to be given a new name, E. oberholseri.<p>There are no recognized subspecies, and there is no geographic variation reported.<p>The IOC World Bird List uses the name American grey flycatcher for Empidonax wrightii to differentiate it from the African grey flycatcher. However, the American Ornithological Society (which covers North and Middle America) names it gray flycatcher.
- Scientific name
- Empidonax wrightii
- Authority
- Baird, SF, 1858
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Empidonax
Range and habitat
The American gray flycatcher breeds from southernmost British Columbia through a narrow zone in central Washington to eastern Oregon and California. The range extends east across Nevada, southern Idaho, Utah, and northern Arizona to southwestern Wyoming, western Colorado, and northwestern New Mexico.<p>Depending on latitude, they arrive on breeding grounds mid-April to mid-May and leave between mid-August and mid-September. Migration between breeding and wintering grounds takes approximately seven weeks in both spring and autumn. Males usually arrive on breeding grounds one week prior to arrival of females.<p>The American gray flycatcher winters in Baja California Sur, southeastern Arizona, and central Sonora to central Oaxaca. Small numbers may winter in western Texas and southern California. Breeding habitat can be shrubland, open woodland, or forest with bare understory. Although it is typically dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia species), common associations include bitterbrush (Purshia species), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus species, Ericameria nauseosus), mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), juniper (Juniperus species), pinyon pine (Pinus species), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa).<p>During migration habitat is generally similar to breeding habitat, but riparian areas are often used. Thus, migrants may be found in willow (Salix species), oak (Quercus species), or mesquite (Prosopis species).<p>In winter the American gray flycatcher is found in "arid open and semiopen areas with scrub and scattered trees".
- Breeding range
- NA : sw Canada and w USA
- Non-breeding range
- Mexico
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: rising.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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