Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens

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Identification

Field notes

15-18 cm (6-7") Common in deciduous and mixed woods.

Grayish-olive above, dull white or gray below. Adults have two white wing bars and two-tone bills - upper bill dark, lower bill light. Juveniles have buff wing bars and all dark bills. Told from similar Empidonax flycatchers by its lack of eye-ring. Similar Eastern Phoebe lacks wing bars. Distinguished from identical Western Wood-Pewee by range and voice.

Song: distinctive whistled "pee-ah-wee".

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Eastern Wood-Pewee Portrait

Credit: Larry Bond

Eastern Wood-Pewee in Maine

Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy Productions

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.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 5

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 · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: 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
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:885-eastern-wood-pewee:1:1 Source: 885 Eastern Wood-Pewee, row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

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 · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: 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
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:885-eastern-wood-pewee:2:1 Source: 885 Eastern Wood-Pewee, row 2