Another vireo?

[Julie Brown]

Well here is another bird I thought was a flycatcher because of bill and head shape, but what about that little hook at the end of the bill? This one does have wing bars. Again, I can't find this in the field guides. :2 Photo taken at South Mesa Trail, Boulder County, Colorado, 5/27/11. Any ID help is appreciated!

[Dan Brown]

I think this is a Western Wood Peewee, Julie. It's definitely a flycatcher. The dark belly and throat, not much eye ring and the location shot are my reasons for the call here.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Julie, this is indeed a flycatcher. Like the vireos, they too have that tiny hook at the tip of the bill. The Empidonax flycatchers are almost impossible to distinguish by sight alone. Did you hear, and do you remember the song?

I don't have my guide with me (I'm at work), but it could also be a Wood Pewee?...also from the flycatcher family. I'll let others chime in before being definitive on that

edit: I see Dan has the same thought as me about Wood Pewee...

[Julie Brown]

Thanks for your input Dan and Daniel. I really did think this was a flycatcher, but still I have so much to learn!

Daniel, I don't recall hearing this bird, but my birding-by-ear skills are very weak. Is it safe to go with Western Wood Pewee based on the location? It also has a hint of yellow on the lower bill.

[Dan Brown]

Thanks for your input Dan and Daniel. I really did think this was a flycatcher, but still I have so much to learn!

Daniel, I don't recall hearing this bird, but my birding-by-ear skills are very weak. Is it safe to go with Western Wood Pewee based on the location?

I would go with Western Wood Pewee, not only based on location but the bird is dark and not contrasty as the eastern birds would be.

[Paul Guris]

I'll go with Wood-Pewee as well. The undertail coverts and wings look too long for an empidonax to me, the wingbars aren't the strongest, and the eyering is minimal (but it can be on Willow as well). I'd feel safe calling it a "Western" by range.

FYI, there's a new bird ID resource out there called BirdFellow (www.birdfellow.com). They have built a site that has an excellent ID section with links to similar species, photos, range maps, habitat, etc., a list keeping function, a place to write trip reports, the ability to upload photos, forums, a Q&A section, etc. For people into bird ID, it's got the potential for being a fantastic resource that, unlike field guides and even the BNA accounts, will be kept up to date. And individuals can contribute information, which will make this sort of a birding Wikipedia. Check it out. Here's their account on Western Wood-Pewee ID:

This species is nearly identical to Eastern Wood-Pewee. The two are best distinguished by voice. Western Wood-Pewee is darker overall and lacks the greenish tones sometimes seen on Eastern. Upperparts are brownish-gray with two grayish wing bars and just a hint of a pale eye ring. The upper wing bar is less obvious than the lower. Underparts are dirty whitish with a dusky wash over the breast, sides, and flanks. The lower mandible is dark yellow-orange with a dark tip, or may be completely dark. The wing projection is very long, about equal to the tail projection. Juvenile is slightly darker overall, with buffy wing bars.

[Julie Brown]

Thanks again, Dan. So far the consensus is the Western Wood Pewee.

Paul, I will definitely check out Birdfellow! It is always good to have another resource. I am really trying hard to improve my birding skills. The information that you all provide is very helpful in my learning process.

I am leaving for California tomorrow to attend the Mono Lake Bird Chautauqua this weekend. Hopefully I will get lots of new western birds to ID. If I get stuck, I know I can always come here for help.

[Dave Irons]

Julie,

This bird is indeed a Wood-Pewee as Dan and Paul have suggested. A couple things that quickly rule out any Empidonax. First note the extremely long primary projection (distance that the longest outer wing feathers extend beyond the folded secondaries and tertials) and the long wing length in general. The wingtips extend well down the length of the tail. Among the Empids, only Acadian Flycatcher approximates this sort of primary projection and overall wing length, while other Empids show much shorter primaries. Secondly, the overall ashy or sooty quality to the plumage is not shown by any N. American Empid. The Empidonax are generally much greener above and more yellow below than your bird. Additionally, all of the Empids, aside from Willow Flycatcher, show fairly obvious complete eyerings, which your bird does not. They also have more distinctive crisp (and usually whiter) wingbars than pewees, which show dingy, blurry, buffy or pale gray wingbars (age dependent). In this case, Acadian Flycatcher can be eliminated by the dingy coloration (Acadians are usually pretty bright) and the lack of a complete eyering and crisp wingbars (Acadian has both). Among the Empids, only the western form of Willow might be mistaken for a pewee, but they are usually warmer and browner above, more yellow on the belly and undertail, show a bright and entirely orangish-yellow lower mandible, and their primary projection is much shorter.

Final clue, look at the perch. Your bird is sitting out on the very end of a branch, which of course any flycatcher might do, but is really habitual among the Contopus flycatchers (pewees and Olive-sided) As some have suggested, wood-pewees need to be heard to be safely separated, particular in Colorado, where presumably both species occur. Where I live in Oregon, it's pretty simple. See a pewee and it's a Western, unless it calls like an Eastern.

Hope this helps,

Dave Irons
Content Editor BirdFellow.com