An Activity Guide About the Songbirds of British Columbia Family TYRANNIDAE: Tyrant Flycatchers

FIELD MARKS Twenty-two species of flycatchers have been known to occur in British Columbia. Of these, only 15 nest here. Their plumage is very much the same, which makes them very difficult to tell apart. Many flycatchers use sound to recognize a member of their own species. All flycatchers have a flattened bill that is broad at the base and slightly hooked at the tip, with whiskers protruding out from the base of the bill. FOOD Foraging for food involves sitting still on a perch with sharp, upright posture and watching for insects flying by. Once one comes into sight, the flycatcher bursts forth and captures it with a short, swift flight, quickly returning back to the same perch. This hunting style is called "flycatching." Flycatchers eat mainly insects and spiders, sometimes berries. NESTING Most flycatchers build open-cup nests in the branches of trees or shrubs. The females usually build the nests and incubate the eggs. The male helps feed the young and defends the nesting territory. During the mating season, these birds can often be seen courting in high-speed flight, male and female chasing each other among the trees. Most migrate to southern climates during the winter. STATUS Flycatchers are very vulnerable to pesticides and herbicides used in forest practices to kill insects. Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)