Eastern Wood Pewee

Overview

The eastern wood pewee (Contopus virens) is a small tyrant flycatcher native to North, Central, and South America. It was formerly considered a single species with the western wood pewee but is now recognised as distinct, primarily distinguished by its calls.

Identification

• 13.5–15 cm in length with grey-olive upperparts and light underparts washed with olive on the breast.
• Two pale wing bars and long primary remiges giving the wingtip a slim, pointed appearance.
• Bill is dark on the upper part and yellowish on the lower part.
• Song consists of a mournful whistled 'pee-a'wee' in series, or a 'pe-wee' with a rising note at the end.

Habitat

Breeding habitat includes deciduous and mixed woods, or pine plantations in eastern North America. They migrate to Central America, the Caribbean, and the Andes region of northern South America. The species arrives on breeding grounds relatively late, typically between late April and June.

Diet

Feeds on insects and other arthropods by waiting on a perch at middle height in a tree to fly out and catch prey in flight. They sometimes hover to pick prey from vegetation.

Did you know?

The species was described in 1760 by French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson based on a specimen from the Carolinas, though he did not use the binomial naming system. The scientific name virens is Latin for 'green'.