Dastardly Duos 10--Tucson Audubon Society

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Tucson Audubon Society
Dastardly Duos

Myiarchus Flycatcher
by Larry Liese
Illustrations by George C. West
(Article first appeared in the May-June 2001 Vermilion Flycatcher newsletter. To receive the newsletter in the mail, become a member of the Friends of Tucson Audubon.)

Ah! Birding in southeast Arizona in May and June - lots of birding goodies that other states would give their eye teeth for. I don’t know what eye teeth really are, but I’m glad we have our birds.

One group of birds that gave me a lot of pleasure to get familiar with is the Myiarchus flycatchers. In this season we regularly get three of the four common to North America, plus a very occasional foray of a normally Mexican species. In order of decreasing size, our group consists of Myiarchus tyrannulus, the Brown-crested Flycatcher; Myiarchus cinerascens, the Ash-throated Flycatcher; Myiarchus nuttingi, Nutting’s Flycatcher (accidental); and Myiarchus tuberculifer, the Dusky-capped Flycatcher.

I’ll concentrate on the three common ones, but give you info on the Nutting’s Flycatcher as well. One may return in the near future or, more likely, some of you will see and hear this bird in southern Sonora, Mexico where it is common. A useful clue in determining whether a given bird is in this group is that all of them have rufous color in their primaries that stands out distinctively when the birds are perched.

The fun part is when you realize “All right! It’s not an Empidonax!”, and you know that you can probably identify it. (Just a little joke on the Empids. They’re a great genus of birds, but just a little too tough to give a fair break). All but the adult Dusky-capped also have bright rufous in the tail, another telltale sign that the bird is in this genus.

Key differences between Myiarchus species are size, coloration, bill size, habitat, and most distinctive of all - voice. The Brown-crested is a noticeably bigger bird with a larger head and much larger bill. It is noticeably crested and has a fairly sharp line of demarcation between its pale upper breast and its yellow belly. Its preferred habitat is riparian woods, particularly at lower elevations. It is known for its “whit” call, though others of this group can give a similar vocalization.

The Ash-throated Flycatcher can be seen in a variety of habitats. Deserts, valley grasslands, arid foothills, and lower mountain canyons all are frequented by this species. It is also the only one you’re likely to see in winter months, though rare then. The field mark that I’ve grown most sure about is that it has a paler yellow lower belly than the others; blends to the light gray of the upper breast gradually as opposed to a sharp line. The folded wings show more whitish streaks than the Dusky-capped, a whiter throat and lighter crown. Compared to the Brown-crested, the bill is smaller and the head not quite so bushy. It’s song is an abrupt “kaBRIK” and a common call is best typed as “prrrrt.” Good luck with the songs and calls. They are tough to describe but very distinctive when heard. This is another instance where paying attention to the bird’s vocalizations after you have identified it really helps accumulate a feel for that species. In particular, the “whits” and “prrrts” can lead you to trouble but are worth studying.

A Nutting’s Flycatcher came out of the woodwork in late 1997, causing a rush of airline travel as the hardcore listers all flocked to Patagonia Lake to “get one more.” I don’t mean to poke any fun, as I’m a lister at heart, though trying to graduate to a more holistic approach to birding and the outdoors. Experts from around the country all looked at the bird’s field marks with some saying “Nah, it’s an Ash-throated” or “I see the rufous extending to the tail!” All were convinced when the bird let out a very loud rising “wheep!”, a sound no Ash-throated would make. Don’t hold your breath on this, but one may return again. The Nutting’s bears strong resemblance to the Ash-throated but is slightly smaller (not much good unless they’re side-by-side), has an orange mouth lining (actually visible under good conditions when calling, which they do frequently), a rufous center of the undertail that extends to the tip (beware of this: juvenile Ash-throateds also share this trait), and is yellower below with a more definite line between gray and yellow.

The Dusky-capped Flycatcher is a smaller bird. It has a strong line between its darkish gray breast and bright yellow belly. Its cap is dark, contrasting with the throat area. Adults have no bright rufous in the tail, instead showing a dull brown color when landing (one of the best times to observe the birds’ tail color). Juveniles have conspicuous rufous edging on their tail feathers, something I was unaware of. The call is a very distinctive and far-carrying mournful descending “peeur” that all local birders soon come to recognize. Its preferred habitat is oak/pine-oak woodlands and adjacent riparian areas at slightly higher elevations than the Ash-throated. When birding Madera Canyon, one notices a shift to the Dusky-capped as one gets further up into the canyon.

Got them all straight? You’ll look like Joe Birder to your buddies when you call out, “Hey, it’s a Myiarchus, an Ash-throated, I think.” Either that or they’ll send catcalls, though secretly you’ll be the one smiling. Good luck!

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This page was updated on 02/21/06