Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Credit: Dominic Sherony

North American field guide

Buff-breasted Flycatcher

Empidonax fulvifrons

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Identification

Field notes

13 cm (5") Rare and local. Southern Arizona, New Mexico. Dry canyon floors in oak-pine forests with shrubby undergrowth.

Small, richly buff-breasted flycatcher with a brownish back. Whitish eye ring.

Song: accented "chee-lik"; call is a dry "pwit".

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video
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.

Buff-breasted Flycatcher

2 rules
Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 1
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area between the bill and the eye · 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 ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 ?
Summer
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Thickets or shrubs · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Mountainous Terrain
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:878-buff-breasted-flycatcher-summer:1:1 Source: 878 Buff-breasted Flycatcher (Summer), row 1
Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area between the bill and the eye · 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 ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:879-buff-breasted-flycatcher-spring-fall:1:1 Source: 879 Buff-breasted Flycatcher (Spring, Fall), row 1