Agricola infuscatus
The Chat Flycatcher, *Agricola infuscatus*, is a distinctive member of the Tyrannidae family, known for its unique vocalizations and subtle, yet elegant, plumage. Measuring approximately 15-17 cm (6-6.7 inches) in length with a wingspan of 25-28 cm (9.8-11 inches) and weighing 15-20 grams, this medium-sized passerine is characterized by its dusky olive-brown upperparts, faint white wing-bars, and a pale, often yellowish, wash on its belly. A notable feature is its short, erectile crest, which...
Primarily found in open deciduous and mixed woodlands, forest edges, and mature riparian corridors, often adjacent to clearings or cultivated fields. It prefers elevations between 300-1500 meters during the breeding season, descending to lower altitudes in wintering grounds.
Primarily insectivorous, preying on a wide variety of flying insects including flies, beetles, moths, wasps, and ants, captured through aerial sallies. Occasionally supplements its diet with small berries, especially during migration and on wintering grounds.
The Chat Flycatcher is a diurnal species, spending its days actively foraging and defending its territory, and roosting solitarily or in small family groups amidst dense foliage at night. Its foraging strategy is typical of many flycatchers: it sally-hovers or sallies out from a prominent perch t...
The Chat Flycatcher breeds across a significant portion of eastern North America, spanning from southern Ontario and Quebec in Canada, south through the Great Lakes states, New England, and extending down the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia. Its breeding elevation generally ranges from ...
Least Concern
- The "Chat" in its name comes from its distinctive, rapid, and somewhat harsh chattering call, which can be heard from a surprising distance. - Unlike many flycatchers, the Chat Flycatcher possesses a subtle but distinct erectile crest, which it raises when agitated or during vocal displays. - D...