General

Vermilion Flycatcher: Small, stocky flycatcher with gray-black upperparts and scarlet-red crown, throat, and underparts. Face has thick, black eye-line. Wings and tail are gray-black; tail has thin white tip. Female has gray-brown upperparts and head, thin dark mask, white throat, streaked white breast, light to dark salmon colored belly and vent, and dark tail with white edges. Juvenile resembles female but has more distinct streaks on breast and lacks pink belly and vent.

Range and Habitat

Vermilion Flycatcher: This species breeds from southeastern California east to central Texas and south throughout Mexico and into the tropics. It spends winters in southern part of breeding range, but wanders as far east as the Gulf Coast from Mexico to Florida. Found in wooded or brushy areas near water.

Breeding and Nesting

Vermilion Flycatcher: Two to four white eggs with brown, gray and lavender spots are laid in a shallow cup of twigs, weed stalks, grass, and bark, lined with down, and built on a horizontal tree branch 8 to 55 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 14 to 15 days and is carried out by the female; usually has two broods per year.

Foraging and Feeding

Vermilion Flycatcher: Feeds on insects; forages by flying from perch to catch prey in mid-air.

Readily Eats

Meal Worms

Vocalization

Vermilion Flycatcher: Repeated "pit-pitasee, pit-pit-pitasee" sometimes given in flight. Call is a short "pitz."

Similar Species

Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill.