Least flycatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Least flycatcher |
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Empidonax
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minimus
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The least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) is a small bird that eats insects. People sometimes call it "chebec" or "chebecker" because of the sound it makes. It is the smallest Empidonax flycatcher found in eastern North America.
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About the Least Flycatcher
For a long time, scientists thought the least flycatcher was closely related to the Hammond's flycatcher. This was because their songs and looks were similar. However, new studies using mitochondrial DNA showed something different. These studies found that the least flycatcher is quite unique. It doesn't have any very close relatives among other flycatchers.
What Does It Look Like?
It can be tricky to tell the least flycatcher apart from other birds in its group. This bird is one of the smallest Empidonax flycatchers. It is about 12 to 14 cm (5 inches) tall. Its wingspan is 19 to 22 cm (7-9 inches). It weighs around 10.3 grams, which is about the same as two quarters.
Its feathers are a dull olive-gray on its back. Its belly is whitish, and it looks brighter than other Empidonax birds. The least flycatcher has two white bars on its wings. It also has white rings around its eyes. Its beak is short, and the bottom part is yellowish. Young least flycatchers look much like the adults. Their wing bars are just a bit darker, with brownish-olive colors.
Since other flycatchers can look similar, the best way to know it's a least flycatcher is by its call. You can also tell by where it lives.
Where It Lives and Its Home
The least flycatcher lives in the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Canada. It also lives in the central, northern, and northeastern United States. When winter comes, these birds fly south. They migrate to Central America, from Mexico all the way to Panama.
This bird likes to live in groups of aspen trees. It also lives in orchards, shade trees, and open woods. They build their nests in forests with deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves). Sometimes they nest in mixed forests or even coniferous forests (with pine trees). They often choose nesting spots near open areas or forest edges. They can also nest in dry woods. In winter, they stay in Central America. There, they live in forest edges and areas where new forests are growing.
Least flycatchers can also be found in open country. They often live in villages or city parks. They build nests in shade trees and orchards. You might also see them along country roads and at the edges of forests.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Vocalization: The "Che-bec" Call
The least flycatcher's call sounds dry and strong. It's like a sharp "che-bec!" The second part of the sound is louder than the first. On very hot summer days, they often call non-stop.
Singing is super important for the male least flycatcher. It helps him claim and protect his territory. While the female stays quietly on the nest, the male sings from different spots. These spots are usually some distance from the nest. He sings the "Che-bec" sound over and over, very fast, in the morning. He might sing it about 60 times a minute! As the day goes on, he sings a bit slower. All the males in one area seem to sing together. This strong singing slowly stops as summer ends and the breeding season finishes.
The female rarely sings. Instead, she uses a call-note that sounds like "Chweep." She sometimes calls while feeding her babies. She also calls to her partner when he leaves or returns to the nest. She uses her "chweep" note loudly when she defends her nest.
What They Eat
As its name suggests, the least flycatcher eats flies. But it also eats many other things! They mainly eat insects. This includes small wasps, winged ants, beetles, caterpillars, and tiny midges. They also eat some true bugs, grasshoppers, spiders, and other small creatures. Sometimes, they even eat berries.
To find food, the least flycatcher mostly catches insects in the air. But they also pick some insects off plants. When hunting, the bird watches from a branch. Then, it flies out to grab any insects that fly by. The least flycatcher is a slow hunter compared to other birds. It changes its perch about 10 times a minute. It also often turns around on its perch to get a full 360-degree view. They rarely pick insects directly off leaves (called gleaning). However, they hover a lot more than other similar birds. They usually perch on dead twigs in the lower parts of trees. These trees are often in open parts of the forest. Studies show that the least flycatcher catches most of its prey by hovering (81.1%). It catches some by flying out to grab them (9.6%). A small amount is caught by chasing (6.2%) or gleaning (3.1%).
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Least flycatchers breed in spring in groups that are very close together. It seems that having neighbors nearby is more important than how good the habitat is. Scientists are still trying to figure out why they do this. Some ideas are that they group together to find food better. Or maybe it helps them scare away predators. It could also help keep other bird species away that need the same resources.
We don't know much about how least flycatchers court each other. But it's thought that the male chases the female through the trees. Males are aggressive and sing constantly until they find a mate. Once a pair forms, the female starts building their nest. She builds it in the forks of small trees like maples, birches, or ashes. Sometimes, she builds it on top of a large branch.
The nest is usually 12 to 25 inches (30-64 cm) above the ground. But it can be anywhere from 2 to 65 inches (5-165 cm) high, depending on the area. The female builds the nest by weaving together fine grass, strips of bark, twigs, and moss. She also uses spider webs, caterpillar webs, animal hairs, and feathers. She makes a neat, cup-shaped nest. This building process takes her about five days.
The female least flycatcher usually lays three to five creamy-white eggs. Most often, she lays four eggs. The female sits on the eggs to keep them warm for 13 to 16 days. During this time, the male stays nearby and sometimes brings her food. The eggs all hatch around June, usually within one to three days of each other. Once the babies hatch, both parents bring food to them. The young birds take their first flight when they are 12 to 17 days old. They usually stay with their parents for another 2 to 3 weeks to be fed.
Defending Their Territory
The male and female least flycatcher spend most of their time in their chosen breeding spot. Their territory is about 0.18 acres (8036.8 square feet). The nests of other least flycatchers are usually about 175 feet away. Both parents become very aggressive and protective of their territory. This applies to other least flycatchers and even other bird species.
If another least flycatcher enters their territory, the male quickly reacts. He makes a sharp sound and does a "threat-display." In this display, the male tries to look bigger. He fluffs out his chest feathers, raises his chest, and vibrates his wings. He also spreads and flicks his tail up and down while crouching. This display only lasts a second or two. Then, the male flies off to chase the intruder away. If the intruder doesn't leave, the resident male will fight. He usually wins.
Females can also defend their territory sometimes. If an intruder comes within about 20 feet of her nest, the female reacts. If her partner is not there, she flies off to chase the intruder. She will attack if she needs to. She can also work with her partner to defend their territory. This happens if there is more than one intruder at a time. In that case, they both work together to chase them away. But the male is always the first to react.
Migration: Their Big Journey
Least flycatchers of different ages and sexes travel at different times. In the fall, adult males leave their breeding grounds first. Adult females follow about a week later. The younger birds join the group about a month after that. Fall migration happens in July and early August, with the most birds moving in late August.
During the fall migration, birds living in the west first fly east. Then, they head south. From the east, they fly down to warmer, tropical areas. A few of them stay for the winter in southern Florida. But most choose to spend their winter on the coasts of Central America. Once there, they live in wooded valleys on the Pacific side. Or they live in dense bushes and wooded edges on the Caribbean side.
The least flycatcher leaves its winter home quite early compared to other birds. They arrive back north in late April to mid-May. Scientists think they can arrive so early because they can find small insects. These insects come out early in the spring. They might also arrive early because they compete a lot for good breeding spots. This is because they like to nest in groups.
The least flycatcher spends its breeding season in southern Yukon to central Quebec and the Maritime Provinces in Canada. It also breeds in Wyoming, Indiana, New Jersey, and the mountains of North Carolina. The breeding season only lasts about 64 days. After that, they fly south again to the Tropics.
Adult least flycatchers shed their old feathers (molt) after they migrate to their wintering grounds. This is different from most other songbirds. Young birds, however, molt before and during their fall migration. We don't know why adult molting is delayed. It might be because they compete a lot for winter homes. The first birds to arrive get the best spots.
Images for kids
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South Padre Island - Texas
See also
In Spanish: Mosquero mínimo para niños
