Acadian Flycatcher

Empidonax virescens

Also known as:Green-crested Flycatcher

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

13-15 cm (5-6") Common in eastern United States. Only breeding empidonax in south eastern states; rare in northern part of range in southern Ontario. Mature deciduous woodlands, in beech-maple groves, ravines, swampy woods.

Olive upperparts. White or grayish throat. Grayish and white breast. Yellowish belly and undertail. Distinct eye ring. Distinct wing bars.

Song: sharp explosive "peet-suh"; a rapid flicker-like "ti ti ti ti ti ti".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

2 photos

Credit: Kelly Colgan Azar

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Acadian Flycatcher

Credit: Larry Bond

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Acadian Flycatcher

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 5

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Deciduous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:866-acadian-flycatcher:1:1 Source: 866 Acadian Flycatcher, row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 1

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Deciduous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southwestern United States

result:866-acadian-flycatcher:2:1 Source: 866 Acadian Flycatcher, row 2