Empidonax flaviventris
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) is a petite and elusive passerine, measuring approximately 12.5-14.5 cm (5-5.7 inches) in length with a wingspan of 19-22 cm (7.5-8.7 inches) and weighing 10-15 grams. It sports an olive-greenish back, dull whitish underparts that often show a distinct yellowish wash, especially on the throat and belly, which can be quite variable. Key field marks include a conspicuous, complete white eye-ring and two distinct whitish wing-bars on dark wi...
This species primarily inhabits cool, damp, and shady coniferous or mixed forests, often near bogs, swamps, and mossy areas, particularly in boreal and montane regions.
Their diet consists almost exclusively of insects, including flies, beetles, mosquitoes, caterpillars, and spiders, which they catch primarily through aerial hawking (sallying) or gleaning from vegetation.
Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are active diurnal insectivores, typically seen sallying from a perch to catch insects in mid-air, often returning to the same or a nearby perch, or gleaning prey from foliage. Males establish and defend territories through persistent singing, especially at dawn and dus...
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher's breeding range spans the boreal forests of Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States, including the Great Lakes region and New England. It also breeds at higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains as far south as Georgia. During migration, it traverses a b...
Least Concern
- Despite its name, the yellow wash on its belly can be quite faint, leading to identification challenges without its distinctive vocalizations. - It is one of the few *Empidonax* flycatchers that regularly nests on or very close to the ground, often in mossy hummocks or under tree roots. - Its s...