Genus: Empidonax
Description
Small drab flycatchers with wing bars and eye rings.
Taxonomy
Empidonax is a genus in the family Tyrannidae.
Identification
This is notoriously difficult: for most species it's best done by call. However, Dr Cin-Ty Lee and Andy Birch provide characteristics which in combination can identify many individuals (summarised and expanded below).
Western Wood Pewee and Eastern Wood Pewee have much longer primary projections than empids.
| species | overall | crown | forehead | eye-ring | bill | lower mandible | throat and undersides | wingbars | wing panel contrast | primary extension | tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-throated Flycatcher | tawny brown | round | shallow | indistinct, but thin crisp | medium | variable | more or less contrasting whitish throat which may extend back under auriculars | variable: brown | no: pale (brown) tertial fringes | short | medium: pale outer vanes |
| Willow Flycatcher | tawny brown (often browner than Alder) | peaked | shallow | indistinct or no | medium to large | orange | medium contrast throat | dull | no | medium | short, fat |
| Alder Flycatcher | dull tawny brown | rounded | shallow to medium | indistinct, but thin crisp | medium to large | pale | medium contrast throat | medium to bright | strong | medium | short, fat |
| Acadian Flycatcher | greenish-brown | peaked | shallow | crisp; not white | large | orange: tip may be dusky | white contrasting throat, undersides | bold | yes | long | medium, fat |
| Yellowish Flycatcher | tawny yellow | crested | shallow | distinct, tear-dropped, yellowish | medium to large | orange | medium contrast white or yellow throat | dull | no: all flight feathers have brownish fringes | medium | short: yellowish outer vanes |
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | dull greenish yellow | round | steep | crisp; lemon | small to medium | orange | low contrast yellow throat and undersides | bold | yes | long | short, narrow |
| Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher | greeny yellowish | crested | medium | distinct, tear-dropped; lemon | medium | orange | low contrast throat. Overall yellow coloration above and below | strong | no: tertial fringes may be obvious | medium | medium, narrow |
| Gray Flycatcher | greyish, or brownish-grey | flat | shallow | messy | large | orange; can have dark tip | low contrast pale grey throat and undersides | dull | no | short | long, narrow, droops slowly downward; white outer feathers |
| Pine Flycatcher | greyish: mantle rarely brownish | crested | medium | distinct, tear-dropped, white | medium to large | bright orange | low contrast whitish or greyish throat with similarly coloured chest and belly. Whitish vent | medium | no: tertials may lack pale fringes | medium to long | medium, widens from narrow base; white outer vanes |
| Dusky Flycatcher | greyish: mantle sometimes greeny-brownish | round to flat | medium | indistinct and messy; off-white | small to medium | dark | low contrast pale grey throat and chest | dull | no | short | medium, narrow |
| Hammond's Flycatcher | greyish: mantle sometimes greeny-brownish | rounded to peaked | very steep | bold messy: whitish | small | dark (mostly) | low contrast grey throat, chest | medium | no | long | short, narrow |
| Least Flycatcher | greyish: mantle generally brownish | round | medium | bold but messy; white | small | partial | white contrasting throat, chest, belly | bold | yes | short to medium | short, narrow |
(Biggest sources for above: [1] , Ebird/Macauley images)
Other species are usually distinctive. Buff-breasted Flycatcher has ochre-buff face and breast. Black-capped Flycatcher has a black cap (sometimes blackish face)
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| E. flaviventris | Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | ||
| E. virescens | Acadian Flycatcher | ||
| E. alnorum | Alder Flycatcher | ||
| E. traillii | Willow Flycatcher | ||
| E. albigularis | White-throated Flycatcher | ||
| E. minimus | Least Flycatcher | ||
| E. hammondii | Hammond's Flycatcher | ||
| E. wrightii | Gray Flycatcher | ||
| E. oberholseri | Dusky Flycatcher | ||
| E. affinis | Pine Flycatcher | ||
| E. difficilis | Western Flycatcher | ||
| E. flavescens | Yellowish Flycatcher | ||
| E. fulvifrons | Buff-breasted Flycatcher | ||
| E. atriceps | Black-capped Flycatcher | ||
Pages in category ‘Empidonax’
The following 14 pages are in this category, out of 14 total.
