Friday, August 31, 2012

To Catch a Flycatcher...

There are several genera of birds that are notoriously hard to identify. Here in North America, beginning and experienced bird-watchers alike (ok, mostly beginner) scratch their collective heads over Sparrows, and Gulls, Shorebirds and Flycatchers. Similar plumages and overlapping ranges make  it hard to pick apart certain species from some of these groups, and the field guides never seem to quite cover all the bases. For my money, the empid flycatchers are some of the most difficult.

Sure, Gulls are tough, especially in their intermediate/immature plumages. But once they're in their adult molt they're not so tricky, at least not for those with a bit of experience (not that I have much). The same goes for most Shorebirds when they're in their breeding plumage, so at least for part of the year they can be identified without too much headache--although it is a shame so many are up in the Arctic circle during that time. Sparrows are problematic too, and are usually the first difficult group that beginning birders have to tackle. But while their plumages are subtle and similarly colored, the Sparrows can usually be ID'd by plumage alone. This brings me back to the Flycatchers...those look-alike, act-alike flighty little buggers that don't really change their indistinct plumage throughout the year or ever take it easy on a fledgling birder. And so, more for my own review and edification than anything else, here's an inspection of some befuddling Flycatchers I've seen this year.

I first saw this bird in February around Patagonia Lake in southeast AZ and thought it was a Gray Flycatcher. Gray's and Dusky Flycatcher's look very similar, except that Grays have a slightly longer tail and the adults are a bit paler. I think I'll stick to Gray for this bird, but some nagging feeling says this could turn into a Dusky at any moment...or even something much, much more embarrassing.


Also around Patagonia I saw this Hammond's Flycatcher. Going just by general color and demeanor, a Hammond's can turn into a Dusky or Gray Flycatcher too, but luckily they have noticeable longer primary projections on their wings.


With other empids, the wings extend to the base of the tail, but the Hammond's has a longer reach relative to its body. Also, this one posed nicely for me, which makes it my favorite empid right now.


Here in Phoenix, the Pacific-Slope vs. Cordilleran war rages at the Desert Botanical Gardens every summer. Both birds can pass through the area during migration, and they're physically indistinguishable if they keep quiet, which of course they do. How many Gulls or Sparrows or Shorebirds are there that are literally indiscernible from each other unless you hear them call (Probably lots more than I am aware of huh?)?

I have seen these Flycatchers every time I've been to the Desert Botanical Gardens in the summer. Because the Cordillerans typically stay in the higher altitudes, the general opinion among the DBG regulars is that the Flycatchers at the DBG must be Pacific-Slope. However, it's pretty far inland for Pacific Slopes too, so it still doesn't seem any more likely to me that it's one or the other based just on their normal ranges. The Sibley's field guide doesn't show either coming into the Phoenix area much, but the Cordilleran's summer range, though normally at higher altitude, is nearer by. Sibley only shows the Pacific-slopes coming through central Arizona during migration. Empids like the one below can be found at the DBG throughout the whole summer, even on the same perches, which makes me think they're not just migrating through, but are actually sticking around for a few months. Given the options, it seems to me that the likelier bird is the Cordilleran, which at least is a summer resident in nearby parts of the state--even if I must contravene The #1 World Birder's 4th rule about trying to be a better birder.


After so much empid stress, it's nice to find repose with a few easier specimens. So the Olive-sided Flycatcher isn't actually an empid; it's a Pewee. I just included it here because I think they're very cool and really appreciate that they're straightforward to ID. These guys drip class, and you know they like to drink dry martinis, with a couple olives...


The bird photographed below is probably a Willow Flycatcher. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have a hard time discerning these guys from Western Wood Pewees. The Wood Pewees like to perch up higher, whereas these Willows like the little scrub stuff near marshy water, case in point:


I'm wanted to call this guy an Acadian Flycatcher because it seemed too light all round to be Willow. When I photographed this bird in southeast Pennsylvania, it was within Acadian range. However, the Acadians are supposed to be high tree dwellers like the Pewees, and this fellow was working the low shrubs. Upon further review, I thought this might be an Alder Flycatcher, but honestly its face seems too light to match any of those birds really well. It seems to lack the darker lores of both the Alder and Willow Flycatchers, which brings me back to the lighter-faced Acadian... Suggestions?


Anyway, here's a definite Willow Flycatcher. However, it's not obvious from the photo, since the beak looks too orange and the head looks too crested/peaked--in fact he looks a lot like the ambiguous bird above. But unlike all the other empids I've seen this year, this guy let out a mighty "RITZbew" while I was observing. 


Many birders have gone half mad and half insane trying to sort these guys out. It's more crazy-making than trying to contemplate the cardinality of infinite sets that can be greater or smaller than each other despite all being infinite! When the empid finally calls, it is a sweet mercy. Now if only I could recognize their calls...

26 comments:

  1. Wow, that is a hardcore flycatcher post. Great shot of the Hammond's. I seem to recall you giving a low opinion of Olive-sideds not too long ago...why the change of heart?

    I think the mystery flycatcher is a Willow/Alder. When silent, they are best not told apart in areas where they overlap (particularly during migration). Acadian has more of a pronounced eye ring, and yes is a deciduous forest bird, not so much of an edge-friendly bird as Willow. Of course, I may change my mind if Flycatcher Jen weighs in.

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    1. Thank you Steve, that is one of the greatest compliments I've ever received as a bird blogger.

      I'm not really sure exactly when or how my opinion of Olive-sided changed. I guess I've just been maturing over time. In fact, I now have armpit hair, which is exciting.

      Hey...is one allowed to say a mystery bird is a two species splice? I feel like that's something one can only get away with if you're Top 10 in the World Birder Ranking (I am not).

      Got back from Salton Sea today. It lived up to every expectation.

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    2. Good, I looking foward to hearing about it.

      That's Top 10 in the Nation, not the World...you must be confusing me with The Great Ornithologist Felonious Jive. The birder who can live with a Traill's Flycatcher is a birder at peace.

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    3. Oh I know how you rank Steve, that was part of my point...or was it?

      Your conclusion leaves me even more confused though. If we're living with the peace of mind in having Id'd a previously conglomerate species, than what about those recently divided Murrelets? What about the Cordilleran/Pacific Slope Flycatchers? What about the White/Brown Pelicans (LOL! JKJKJKJK ROFLcopter).

      Anyway, I'm convinced you and the Great Ornithologist are the same person, kinda like a Traill's Flycatcher split. But y'all seem to occupy the same sections of the blogosphere and emanate similar calls, as well as migrate at the same times. I guess the only way to really know for sure is to catch one of you and begin a dissection--sorry, but this is for science, after all.

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  2. Wonderful series of flycatchers! I too find them extremely challenging to ID and often ask those in the know for help. Lots of good info to help with IDing in this post.

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    1. Thanks Debbie! It helped me to string it all out, and I'm glad it can help others too. Bird ID can be so daunting...lucky it's a labor of love!

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  3. Ah yes, have no fear, Flycatcher Jen is here to help! And by help I mean show you how to click the little "empid sp." box on eBird.

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    1. Ever insightful and beneficent Flycatcher Jen, thanks for stopping by. I heard they call it the 'Jen Box.' Is this true?

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    2. Then so shall I! Thanks for pointing out the mis-naming too. Trying to read and respond on blogs after two days of no sleep is a bad idea. But now, all evidence of my imperfection has been scoured from the blogosphere. ALL OF IT!!!

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    3. Not all of it:) http://burlybird.blogspot.com/2012/07/for-all-lady-birds.html#comment-form

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    4. Gosh Julie you're just outing me left and right. In my defense, that misnomer was purposeful since the theme of Lauren's post was misogyny in the bird watching world. It seemed like calling her by the male case of her name would be funny. Alas, the coincidence with that also being my name kinda threw things off, in retrospect.

      This does explain why Lauren hasn't spoken to me since...

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  4. Wonderful Post! Sadly, I can offer no more help than Flycatcher Jen...

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    1. Preciate' it Scott. Luckily Flycatcher Jen has done all one can do. Trying to one-up there would be like one-upping Abraham Lincoln--very difficult.

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  5. Sadly, I have trouble (so much trouble) identifying empids too. And most of the time I see and photograph them they are silent, I think they have joined as a group to dive me crazy (er).

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    1. Yes the silence...

      In all the guides and sites and so on it's always, "Listen for such-and-such all." To be fair, I'm not a good listener : ), but seriously the ONLY empid I have heard vocalize is the Willow Flycatcher.

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    1. Oh, I suppose either one works. It's fun to picture a cloud of empids dive-bombing you just to try and drive you crazy. They're more cruel than I ever imagined...

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  7. Awesome Flycatcher post. The photos are wonderful.

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  8. Great post Laurence, having so many flycatchers can certainly help you look at the fine details - i stink at them myself :)

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    1. Thanks Dan! I try to look, but it seems so often I don't see : )

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  9. Flycatchers and Kingbirds....I haven't a clue. They confuse me more than anything else. I look and stare and look and stare at the shots.....sometimes for hours and can't tell the difference at all. I have to leave them and go back later on to figure it out. I think I found a Western Kingbird several weeks back....but who knows? Love your shots....very nice. Some posed wonderfully for you:)

    Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I don't know if you picked up on my Starthroat envy.....but I did it. I wasn't going to give up and I found him....finally!!! Plus a bunch of others I hadn't been expecting. I had to complete the Chuparrosa Challenge for the season with a satisfying conclusion and I can now sleep again:) If you knew how many times/hikes I searched for that bird! But now that I've seen the bird, I can say that he's very easy to identify. But the bug bites are out of this world. Have you had issues with chiggers this year? Crazy! Now I can just enjoy birding again. But they say a Sable's Gull is in the area???!!! Will it ever end:)?

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    1. Alright Chris! Glad you found the Starthroat! I am envious of the Lucifer Hummingbird that's shown up now. Like I said, the Flycatchers are a tough bunch, and the difficulty doesn't decrease as much with just experience or something, like maybe say with Sparrows of Gulls. They're just always hard to ID, because their variations are that much more subtle and, well, variable.

      In the Phoenix area it hasn't been too buggy, except for one trip to Gilbert where there were Mosquitos EVERYWHERE. I got covered in bites that night, but where there's not a lot of shallow standing water the bugs don't do so well here.

      I heard about that Sabine's Gull. Like the Lucifer Hummer, there's no way I'll make it down with school back in session, but I can still imagine...

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    1. Yes they take some studying but what a labor of love!

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