American dusky flycatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids American dusky flycatcher |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Empidonax
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| Species: |
oberholseri
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The American dusky flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri), or simply dusky flycatcher, is a small bird that eats only insects. It is a type of passerine bird, which means it's a perching bird, and it belongs to the tyrant flycatcher family.
Dusky flycatchers are part of a group of birds called Empidonax. These birds look very much alike and act in similar ways, making them tricky to tell apart! The best ways to tell them apart are by listening to their calls, looking at where they build their nests, and knowing their travel paths.
Contents
What Does a Dusky Flycatcher Look Like?
Adult dusky flycatchers have olive-gray feathers on their backs and wings, which are a bit darker. Their undersides are whitish. They have a clear white ring around their eyes and white bars on their wings. Their tail is a medium length. Their chest often has a light olive-gray color. The bill (beak) is mostly dark. This bird is a little smaller than the American gray flycatcher and a bit larger than the Hammond's flycatcher.
What Sounds Do They Make?
Male dusky flycatchers sing a song with three different parts. A common sound they make is a dry whit call. This sound is similar to calls made by other Empidonax flycatchers. Sometimes, a male bird might also make a sad dew-hic sound.
Where Do Dusky Flycatchers Live and Travel?
These birds travel long distances, a process called migration. They fly south to places like southern Arizona and Mexico for the winter. When they are not breeding, they fly over the deserts of the southwestern United States, including the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. They stop in these areas along their flyway, which is like a bird highway in the sky.
Where Do They Build Their Nests?
Dusky flycatchers like to build their nests on mountain slopes and foothills. They prefer areas with bushes and scattered trees, especially ponderosa pines, across western North America. They build a cup-shaped nest low down in a shrub, usually in a spot where a branch splits into a "V" shape.
How Do They Find Food?
These birds are clever hunters! They often wait on an open branch, watching for insects. When they spot one flying by, they quickly fly out to catch it in the air. This way of hunting is called hawking. Sometimes, they also pick insects off leaves while hovering in the air. This is called gleaning.
See also
In Spanish: Mosquero oscuro para niños
