General

Variegated Flycatcher: Medium-sized flycatcher with dark brown-and-black scaled upperparts, thick, dark brown eye-line on pale face, thin brown moustache stripe, and dark-streaked, pale yellow underparts. Wing feathers are dark with pale edges. Tail feathers are dark with thick rufous edges. Upper mandible is black, lower mandible is dark with yellow base. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Variegated Flycatcher: This is a South American species, but it occurs accidentally in North America. It has been recorded in central Maine, southern Missouri, northeast Oregon, southeast Washington, and extreme southern Ontario. This species prefers tropical or subtropical lowland forests and degraded former forest habitats.

Breeding and Nesting

Variegated Flycatcher: Three to four white to pale buff eggs heavily spotted with red brown are laid in a cup nest made of twigs, bark, leaf stems, and grass, and built on a horizontal tree branch 8 to 25 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 14 to 16 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Variegated Flycatcher: Eats mostly insects, berries, and fruits; forages from a low perch, flying out to catch insects in mid-air, and then returning to perch to eat.

Readily Eats

Meal Worms

Vocalization

Variegated Flycatcher: Makes a gently whistled, high "zreeeee." Also utters an abrasive "chee-chee-chuuuuuuu."

Similar Species

Variegated Flycatcher: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher is larger, has longer bill, has paler upperparts, brighter yellow underparts, and has a rufous tail.