Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinusOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

Breeding Location:

Wooded areas near water

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Fairly common

Egg Color:

White with brown, gray and lavender spots

Number of Eggs:

2 - 4

Incubation Days:

14 - 15

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Bark, sticks, weeds, and grass., Lined with down.

Migration:

Most migrate

Overview

Vermilion Flycatcher: Small, stocky flycatcher, gray-black upperparts and scarlet-red crown, throat, and underparts. Face has thick, black eye-line. Wings and tail are gray-black; tail has thin white tip. Weak fluttering flight on shallow wing beats. Hovers in display flight and when foraging.

Range and Habitat

Vermilion Flycatcher: Breeds from southeastern California east to western Texas and south into the tropics. Spends winters in southern part of breeding range, but wanders as far east as the Gulf Coast. Found in wooded or brushy areas near water.

Breeding and Nesting

Vermilion Flycatcher: Two to four white eggs with brown, gray and lavender spots are laid in a shallow cup of twigs, weed stalks, grass, and bark, lined with down, and built on a horizontal tree branch 8 to 55 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 14 to 15 days and is carried out by the female; usually has two broods per year.

Foraging and Feeding

Vermilion Flycatcher: Feeds on insects; forages by flying from perch to catch prey in mid-air.

Readily Eats

Meal Worms

Vocalization

Vermilion Flycatcher: Repeated "pit-pitasee, pit-pit-pitasee" sometimes given in flight. Call is a short "pitz".

Similar Species

Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill., Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Vermilion Flycatcher

● Song: Series of "pit-pitasee, pit-pit-pitasee", or a short "pitz".

● Foraging & Feeding: Vermilion Flycatcher: Feeds on insects; forages by flying from perch to catch prey in mid-air.

● Breeding & nesting: Vermilion Flycatcher: Two to four white eggs with brown, gray and lavender spots are laid in a shallow cup of twigs, weed stalks, grass, and bark, lined with down, and built on a horizontal tree branch 8 to 55 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 14 to 15 days and is carried out by the female; usually has two broods per year.

● Similar species: Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill., Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill.

Flight Pattern

Weak fluttering flight with shallow wing beats., Hovers when feeding., Sallies from perch to catch insects in the air.

Vermilion Flycatcher Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Vermilion Flycatcher: Breeds from southeastern California east to western Texas and south into the tropics. Spends winters in southern part of breeding range, but wanders as far east as the Gulf Coast. Found in wooded or brushy areas near water.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationFairly common

^MigrationMost migrate

^Weight0.5 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America