Gray Flycatchers

Tyrant Flycatchers
Gray Flycatcher

The Gray Flycatcher, Empidonax wrightii is a small insect-eating bird.


It is a small Empidonax flycatcher, with typical size ranging from 14-16 cm.


This is the only Empidonax flycatcher which regularly pumps its tail gently downward. Many species of this genus look closely alike. The best way do distinguish species apart is by voice, by breeding habitat and/or range.

Distribution / Range:

Their preferred breeding habitat is arid Sagebrush and pinyon pine of the Great Basin in western United States. They are frequently found as vagrants in coastal California. A small breeding population extends over the United States border into southernmost British Columbia in Canada.

These birds migrate to Mexico for the winter.

Nesting / Breeding:

They make a cup nest on a fork in a tree, usually low in a horizontal branch. Females usually lay 3-4 eggs.

Diet / Feeding:

They wait on an open perch of a shrub or low branch of a tree and fly out to catch insects in flight, also sometimes picking insects from foliage while hovering.

Call / Vocalization:

The song is a multi versed chiwip, wilip, sung together in different combinations. The call is a loud wit.

