Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascensOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

Codes: Common Name: ATFL Scientific Name: MYICIN ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178316

Breeding Location:

Wetlands

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common

Egg Color:

Creamy white with brown and lavender blotches

Number of Eggs:

3 - 7

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Lined with down., Weeds, rotted wood, twigs, mud, and other fine materials.

Migration:

Migratory

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.

Breeding and 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.

Foraging and 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.

Readily Eats

Meal Worms

Vocalization

Ash-throated Flycatcher: Distinctive call heard year-round is a rough "prrrt." During breeding season, sings a rolling, nasal "ka-brik ka-brik."

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.

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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

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America