Cordilleran Flycatcher

Empidonax occidentalis

Also known as:Western Flycatcher

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

14 cm (5-6") Common. Western North America. Moist woods, mixed or coniferous forests, canyons, groves.

Brownish-green upperparts, yellow underparts. No other western "Empidonax" flycatcher has a yellow throat. Conspicuous white or yellowish eye ring - often tear-shaped.

Was called Western Flycatcher but now separated into two species based on male's songs and range. Similar coastal Pacific-slope Flycatcher has an upslurred "suwheet" notes versus the Cordilleran's loud "whee-seet" song.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Cherry Creek Campground, Pinos Altos Mts., Grant Co., NM - July 2009

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Credit: Caleb Putnam

Santa Fe County, New Mexico, US - August 24, 2012

Credit: Greg Schneider

North Roosevelt Trap, Roosevelt Co., NM - May 2011

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Cordilleran Flycatcher foraging | Spring at Patagonia Lake State Park Arizona

Credit: Birding Visions Cinema | Clive Bramham

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.

Cordilleran 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) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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 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 ?: Summer
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Mountainous Terrain
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:869-cordilleran-flycatcher:1:1 Source: 869 Cordilleran Flycatcher, row 1

Rule 2 15 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) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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 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 · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:869-cordilleran-flycatcher:2:1 Source: 869 Cordilleran Flycatcher, row 2