Ash-throated Flycatcher

Overview

The ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) is a medium-sized passerine bird within the tyrant flycatcher family. It is a short-distance migrant that has been classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its extensive range and large population.

Identification

• Overall slim and long-tailed with a slightly peaked crest on a relatively large head.
• Upperparts are olive brown with a darker head, featuring a gray breast and a very pale yellow belly.
• Wings and tail are brown with rufous outer webs and two dull wing bars.
• Distinguished by vocalizations, including a burry kabrick and a rough prrt or wheer heard year-round.

Habitat

This species breeds in desert scrub, riparian forest, brushy pastures, and open woodland from the western United States to central Mexico. It winters from southern Mexico to Honduras, principally on the Pacific slope, though single birds may wander as far as the east coast of North America.

Diet

Primarily an insectivore, it flies from a perch to catch prey from the ground, foliage, or undergrowth, though it also consumes fruit when insects are scarce. It occasionally captures small mammals and reptiles, killing them by banging them against hard objects.

Did you know?

The bird can utilise artificial nesting structures, such as nest boxes installed for bluebirds, to its advantage. Additionally, it is the type host for the nasal mite Tyranninyssus callinectoides.