FlycatchersCordilleran FlycatcherEmpidonax occidentalis
- ORDER: Passeriformes
- FAMILY: Tyrannidae
Basic Description
The petite olive-and-yellow Cordilleran Flycatcher of the Rocky Mountains nests in high-elevation coniferous forests, usually along canyons or ravines with flowing water, where there are gaps in the canopy. Here, the species forages mostly by flying out to capture passing insects. Nearly identical to the Pacific-slope Flycatcher of California, the two forms were formerly considered to be the same species, known as the “Western Flycatcher.”
More ID InfoFind This Bird
Cordilleran Flycatchers return to nesting grounds in the Rockies by late spring. Track down this bird by locating a trail that follows a steep-sided ravine with a creek or small river wide enough to create gaps in a coniferous canopy, and then listen for its short three-note song.
Other Names
- Mosquero Cordillerano (Spanish)
- Moucherolle des ravins (French)