Class Aves
Order Songbirds
Family Flycatchers
Genus Pyrocephalus

Credit: Larry Bond

North American field guide

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

15 cm (6") Fairly common. Southwestern United States. Wooded streams, ponds, dry scrub, desert, ranches.

Male: Brilliant red cap and underbody. Back is dusky brown. Frequently pumps and spreads its tail.

Female or Immature: Grayish brown back. White throat. Female's white breast is finely streaked, immature's is spotted. Female has pinkish belly and undertail coverts, immature's are white or yellow. Black tail is frequently pumped and fanned.

Song: rapid, high sputtering "p-p-pit-zee".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

6 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Cochise County, Arizona, US - December 29, 2006

Credit: Dmitry Mozzherin

Credit: Dan Pancamo

Sam Hughes, Tucson, AZ, US - January 25, 2008

Credit: Erin and Lance Willett

Pair - San Pedro River, near Sierra Vista, AZ

Credit: Len Blumin

Credit: Allan Harris

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Vermilion Flycatcher

Credit: Don DesJardin

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 3 variants 6 rules

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

Vermillion Flycatcher (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 6

What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · 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 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 · Dark area behind, under, through 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:850-vermillion-flycatcher-female:1:1 Source: 850 Vermillion Flycatcher (Female), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 1

What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · 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 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 · Dark area behind, under, through 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:850-vermillion-flycatcher-female:2:1 Source: 850 Vermillion Flycatcher (Female), row 2

Vermillion Flycatcher (Immature)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 6

What colour was the BACK ?: 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 ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · 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 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 · Dark area behind, under, through 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:851-vermillion-flycatcher-immature:1:1 Source: 851 Vermillion Flycatcher (Immature), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 1

What colour was the BACK ?: 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 ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · 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 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 · Dark area behind, under, through 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:851-vermillion-flycatcher-immature:2:1 Source: 851 Vermillion Flycatcher (Immature), row 2

Vermillion Flycatcher (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 6

What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · 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 ?: Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:849-vermillion-flycatcher-male:1:1 Source: 849 Vermillion Flycatcher (Male), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 1

What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · 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 ?: Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:849-vermillion-flycatcher-male:2:1 Source: 849 Vermillion Flycatcher (Male), row 2