Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascensOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

General

Ash-throated Flycatcher: Medium-sized flycatcher with gray-brown upperparts, pale gray throat and breast, and gray-brown tail with rufous highlights. The pale yellow belly distinguishes this species from other Myiarchus flycatchers. Sexes are similar. Juvenile tail is red-brown.

Range and Habitat

Ash-throated Flycatcher: Breeds as far north as Oregon and Washington, as far east as central Texas, and as far south as central Mexico. Preferred habitats include open woodlands, streamside thickets, oak scrub, dry plains spotted with trees or cacti, and deserts.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"prrrt", "ka-brik", "ka-brik"

Interesting Facts

The Ash-throated Flycatcher frequently uses man-made structures for nesting. The use of artificial structures may have offset the loss of natural nest sites by development, and may be responsible for an increase in numbers.

Although it has become a hole-breeder, it still builds a nest and has streaked, camouflaged eggs like its open-nesting ancestors.

It is a rare, but regular vagrant to the East Coast. Individuals turn up nearly every year, and have been found in all coastal states and provinces.

A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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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.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Ash-throated Flycatcher: Medium flycatcher with gray-brown upperparts, pale gray throat and breast, and gray-brown tail with rufous highlights. The pale yellow belly distinguishes this species from other Myiarchus flycatchers. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Strong flight with shallow wing beats.

● Song: "prrrt", "ka-brik", "ka-brik"

● Foraging & Feeding: Ash-throated Flycatcher: Feeds on insects, flying from perch to capture them in flight or taking them on the ground; occasionally eats fruits, berries, and small lizards.

● Breeding & nesting: Ash-throated Flycatcher: Three to seven brown-streaked, white eggs are laid in a loose cup of grass, rootlets, and stems built in a natural tree cavity less than 20 feet above the ground. Sometimes nests in an abandoned woodpecker hole; may displace smaller birds from an occupied cavity. Nest is lined with fur, hair, and sometimes snakeskin. Female incubates eggs for about 15 days; often leaves nest for hours at a time, especially during the hottest part of the day.

● Similar species: Ash-throated Flycatcher: Nutting's Flycatcher has darker yellow belly, olive-brown upperparts, orange mouth lining, and a different voice. Dark-capped Flycatcher is smaller with brighter yellow underparts, lacks rufous on tail, and has different voice.

Flight Pattern

Fairly strong flight with shallow wing beats., Hovers before dipping to catch prey.

Ash-throated Flycatcher Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Ash-throated Flycatcher: Breeds as far north as Oregon and Washington, as far east as central Texas, and as far south as central Mexico. Preferred habitats include open woodlands, streamside thickets, oak scrub, dry plains spotted with trees or cacti, and deserts.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight1 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America