Birds of Arlington - Acadian Flycatcher

Birds of Arlington

Acadian Flycatcher

(Empidonax virescens)

Genders Alike

Present: Summer & Migration

Visual Identification

Where and When to see them

Visual Identification

Acadian Flycatchers have a greenish back and a clean white belly, tainted with some yellow on the sides occasionally. A white eye-ring lines the eye, sometimes faint. They have a bicolored bill, black/gray on top, yellow/yellow-orange on bottom with a small amount of black/gray on the tip. There are three white wing-bars on each wing, although two may only be visible at times. The tail may be slightly browner or darker than the body and will appear rufous when backlit. Beware worn or washed spring migrants, as they might appear duller than those during fall migration.

Voice

A quick and loud Cha-BEIK! Several beiks might also be heard. They will emit soft twitters occasionally.

Acadian Flycatchers also emit quiet wit calls. Despite the low volume, these calls can be hear from a distance and sometimes are emitted with two syllables: wit-it or in spaced volleys.

Habitat

Acadian Flycatchers spend most of their time in wet forested habitats. This includes stream side riparian woods, stream side forest edge, and wet wooded thickets. They will also venture out into wooded areas relatively near streams.

Behavior

Acadian-Flycatchers will forage by perching up in the higher branches of a tree or large shrub and look for insects in the air. Once they find an insect they will chase it in the air until they have secured their meal. Once they have the insect, they will go to a nearby tree/large shrub to eat it. They will not usually return to the same perch. They will usually be seen near the tops of small trees, not high up in the canopy.

They are mostly solitary, even in mated pairs.

Nesting Behavior

Acadian Flycatchers will nest directly above streams along the forest edge. They have cup nests that can hold three eggs, their normal brood number. They will build there nest high enough above the water so that when a major storm comes, and the river swells, the nest will not get washed away. The nests are mostly made from pollen and attack to a "V" in a branch. Parent Acadians will not make noise when on the nest, and rarely make noise near it. When the nestlings no longer need incubation, both parents will go out to flycatch and return for only about two seconds, just enough time to feed the babies. The nestlings will grow into fledgelings in just 11 days.

Adult on nest.

Fledgling Acadian stretching wing with sibling opening beak in background.

Three baby Acadians in their nest.

Comparisons

Eastern Phoebe (Voice)

When backlit, an Eastern phoebe might be mistaken for an Acadian Flycatchers because of their call, but note that the Phoebe’s call is slightly slower than the Acadian’s and seems to have a short third syllable in the middle, almost like a cropped version of a Pewee call. The Acadian’s is much faster and has two syllables.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers may be mistaken for an Acadian, but they prefer denser, more wooded habitat and are found closer to the ground. As their name suggests, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers have yellower bellies, sometimes even a bit greener. They are overall darker, and slightly smaller than Acadians, with a smaller bill.

Eastern Wood Pewee (looks)

Acadian flycatchers are very similar to Eastern-Wood Pewees. They are about the same size and both have three wing-bars (sometimes one is hidden). but note that Acadians have greener backs and are slightly smaller. They also have yellower sides.

Eastern Wood Pewee (voice)

Acadians and Pewees are easily identified by voice, as the Pewee will say PEE-a-WEE! and the Acadian will not; they will say cha-BEIK!

Where and When to see them

They are uncommon at Long Branch park.

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