Myiarchus cinerascens
The Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) is a distinctive medium-sized tyrant flycatcher of the arid American West, measuring approximately 7.5-8.5 inches (19-22 cm) in length with a wingspan of 11.5-13 inches (29-33 cm) and weighing 0.9-1.3 oz (25-37 g). It is characterized by its pale ash-gray head and back, contrasting with a clean white throat that fades into a pale yellowish belly. Key identification marks include a slight crest, a dusky bill, and noticeable rufous coloration ...
Inhabits arid and semi-arid open woodlands, scrublands, desert washes, and riparian areas, favoring habitats with scattered trees, large cacti, or snags, typically from low to mid-elevations.
Feeds primarily on large insects such as flies, bees, wasps, beetles, and grasshoppers, captured through aerial hawking or gleaning. Supplements its diet with some berries and small fruits, especially during migration and on wintering grounds.
Ash-throated Flycatchers are diurnal, typically perching conspicuously on elevated branches or fence posts from which they sally to catch insects. Their primary foraging strategy involves aerial hawking, where they launch short, quick flights to snatch flying insects, but they also glean insects ...
The breeding range of the Ash-throated Flycatcher spans the western United States, extending from southern Oregon, across California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and into western Texas, as well as northern Mexico. During the non-breeding season, they migrate south, wintering extensively th...
Least Concern
- Ash-throated Flycatchers are renowned for frequently incorporating shed snakeskins into their nests, a behavior hypothesized to deter predators. - They are one of the few bird species that commonly nests in the cavities of saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert. - Despite their name, Myiarchus fly...