Olive-sided Flycatcher

Contopus cooperi

Order PASSERIFORMES - Family TYRANNIDAE - Subfamily Fluvicolinae

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Behavior
9. Reproduction
10. Conservation Status
11. Other Names

A distinctive large flycatcher of the boreal and western coniferous forests, the Olive-sided Flycatcher gives its "quick-three-beers" song from the tops of tall snags. It makes dashing flights from its high perch to catch flying insects, then returns to the same perch.

Cool Facts

• The Olive-sided Flycatcher is frequently associated with burned forests. The opened area and the abundant snags may help it to catch flying insects.

• When flushed off the nest during incubation, the female often drops down toward ground without beating her wings.

• Defends its nest aggressively. A pair was observed to knock a red squirrel off a nest limb and chase it away.

Description

• Size: 18-20 cm (7-8 in)
• Weight: 32-37 g (1.13-1.31 ounces)

• Large, stocky flycatcher.
• Large head.
• Relatively short tail.
• White center of breast contrasts sharply with gray sides, giving a vested appearance.

• Deep brownish gray above.
• White throat, center of breast and belly.
• White tufts on sides of rump, not always visible.
• Wings dark and without distinct wingbars, or with indistinct ones.
• Upper mandible black, lower pale with dark tip.
• Eyering absent or indistinct.

Sex Differences

Sexes alike, but male slightly larger.

Immature

Juvenile similar to adult, but upperparts more brownish and wing feather edges washed buff.

Similar Species

• Eastern and Western wood-pewees are smaller, have more prominent wingbars, and dirty white underparts that give only a suggestion of a vest.
• Greater Pewee uniformly gray below, without white center to breast, and with a tufted crest.

Sound

Song a three-note whistled "quick-THREE-BEERS." Call is three evenly spaced "pip" notes.

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds from central Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland and south to the northern United States in the East, and south through the Mountain West to western Texas and Baja California. Isolated populations in the Appalachians.

Winter Range

Panama and northern South America.

Habitat

• Breeds in montane and northern coniferous forests, at forest edges and openings, such as meadows and ponds.
• Winters at forest edges and clearings where tall trees or snags are present.

Food

Flying insects, especially bees.

Behavior

Foraging

Sallies out from top of tall tree or snag to catch flying insect, and frequently returns to the same perch. Beats large prey on perch.

Reproduction

Nest Type

Nest is an open cup of twigs, rootlets, and lichens, placed out near tip of horizontal branch of a tree.

Egg Description

Creamy white or buff with ring of brownish spots on large end.

Clutch Size

Usually 3 eggs. Range: 2-5.

Condition at Hatching

Hatch naked and helpless.

Conservation Status

Has declined seriously throughout much of its range. Loss of wintering habitat may be to blame.

Other Names

Moucherolle à côtés olive (French)
Pibí boreal (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Altman, B., and R. Sallabanks. 2000. Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi). In The Birds of North America, No. 502 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.