Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is a little bird that lives in the northern Evergreen forests, far away from human settlements.

About Yellow-bellied Flycatchers

The habitats of these birds have been heavily romanticized in the many pieces of literature just like the above excerpt from 1939 has been paraphrased from the work of F.M. Chapman. These birds are typical in the peatlands and boreal forests of Canada. They generally nest in moist conifers or mixed forests. Other habitats that are ideal for these birds are swamps, bogs, and muskegs.

Although these birds can be extremely difficult to find, they are well worth the effort as they are one of the most distinctive members of their genus. Their habits and appearance are both particularly unique. Due to the presence of such bright yellow underparts, and distinctive underparts, these birds are the most easily identifiable eastern birds from the genus Empidonax. The plumage of these birds easily blends into the moss-filled muskeg forests, which are its breeding habitats, and into the rain forests in Central America that they occupy during winters.

This striking bird is easily one of the most overlooked birds on this continent. It is also one of the last species of birds that were discovered in North America. This species was often confused with birds of other species, so its historical accounts of this species are not particularly reliable. These secretive birds are extremely difficult to sight but hearing them is significantly easier.

Another obstacle for birdwatchers to spot this bright and beautiful bird is its short stay on its breeding grounds. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers only stay for 70 days in their breeding grounds. Their nests are also well-camouflaged and extremely difficult to locate. The confirmation rate of this species is significantly lower in comparison to other species.

These birds feast on flying insects in their habitat. Despite being smaller than most other species of birds, these birds ferociously protect their nests. If one can observe these birds from a close distance, one cannot help but appreciate the intensity and boldness of this small Flycatcher.

It certainly has a striking personality and can offer a good show to any avid birdwatcher that has had the fortune to spot them. Wouldn’t you like to know more about these marvelous birds? Let’s learn more.

● Yellow-bellied Flycatchers Photos, Color Pattern, Song
● Yellow-bellied Flycatchers Size, Eating behavior, Habitat
● Yellow-bellied Flycatchers Range and Migration, Nesting

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Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Color Pattern

These small Flycatchers have yellowish breasts, throats, and eye-rings. The adults have olive-green upperparts with a slightly darker head. Their upper mandible is brown, and their lower mandible is either pinkish-yellow or pinkish in color. The lining of their mouth is distinctly yellow.

The yellowish-white eye-ring is an almond-shape or round. They also have two whitish wing-bars that contrast with their dark-brown to black primaries and secondaries. Their dusky green breast-band is contrasted by their grayish-yellow throat. Their tail feathers are brown with green edges. The egg can be brownish or grayish, and the feet are
blackish.

Description and Identification

Vocalizations are the easiest way of identifying Flycatchers from the genus Empidonax. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are very easily distinguished from other Flycatchers through their yellow plumage and small size. Alike some Western Flycatchers, these birds have a small delta-shaped bill. Acadian Flycatchers are one species of birds that are like Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, but they have significantly larger bills. Other features that set the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher apart from Acadian Flycatchers are its yellow throat and chin.

Western Flycatchers such as Pacific-slope Flycatchers and yellowish Cordilleran Flycatchers have a range overlap with Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. These Western Flycatchers can easily be distinguished based on their duller body with more olive coloration in their upper parts and their breast band. These birds also have different wing morphology shorter primary projection, and comparatively longer tails. Other physical characteristics that distinguish Yellow-bellied Flycatchers from these birds are their heads that are peaked and their vibrantly green plumage.

Although Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are quite distinctive in their appearance. Misidentifying these birds is extremely common since people confuse them with other smaller Flycatchers.

On their wintering grounds, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are located at elevations lower than those in which the Yellowish Flycatchers reside. This species primarily resides in cloud forests. Yellowish Flycatchers have much brighter plumage than Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, and they also have a tear-shaped eye-ring that contrasts the almond-shaped
eye-ring of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Song

The song of the Yellow-bellied Flycatchers is also innate and unlearned. The first call made by these birds is a soft-pitched begging call made by nestlings. Fledgelings utter liquid renditions of “brrrrt, tu-wee, and kilink” vocalizations when they are being fed by the adults. They also made these sounds while leaving their natal grounds.

Males are the ones who make the advertising song. This song is not particularly musical or complex. There a several different notes to this song. Hoarse “che-bunk or kilink” vocalizations are made. A sneeze-like “kilink” song is often sung by males. This abrupt song can be sung up to 12 times in a minute, and it serves the function of advertising territories for males. The frequency of this song reduced very significantly after males find a suitable pair.

Males might switch to the assertive song from their advertising song. This song is monosyllabic in nature. “Schleck, speck, or kik” vocalizations are part of it. This song is somewhat similar to the song of Henslow’s Sparrows or of Downy Woodpeckers. Mated males are likely to produce this call within their territory. This call suggests dominance or advertises the mating status to other birds of its species. Sometimes, this vocalization is on winter grounds when Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are being aggressive or assertive. The song switch that often occurs in Yellow-bellied Flycatchers is also characteristic of Pacific-coast Flycatchers, and several wood-warblers.

The Tu-wee call is a vocalization that softens than the song of these birds. It can sound like “chee-weep, chu-e-e-p, pee-wee, pweet, tooweet, pi-wee, or phee-i”. This call is similar to the call of Eastern Wood-Pewees and the call of Semipalmated Plovers. A Twitter call helps these birds interact with invaders. Chip notes are short squeaky “piyu’s or chiyu’s”.

The Brrrt call is another important vocalization. It commonly occurs during flight, or in the middle of agnostic encounters. Some other renditions of this call are “chrrr or chirr”. In this call they make a sequence of sounds.

Males sing the flight song during dusk or before dawn. It includes alternating “tu-wee and kilink” vocalizations and some variations from the various calls of these birds. In the flight song, Yellow-bellied flycatchers can include every vocalization they know in quick, loud bursts.

During the breeding season, males begin singing from high positions in the forest. After forming pairs, the singing reduces slightly, but males maintain their territory by singing the “kilink” song. The singing of adult males comes to a stop when younglings fledge.

Females make the tu-wee calls while encountering invaders/predators, or while constructing the nest. Males generally begin signing before dawn, and the frequency of singing is often the most during the early morning. This singing continues late into the morning. The Tu-wee vocalization is a contact call by members of a pair.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Size

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are small Tyrant Flycatchers. They are 5.1-5.9 inches longer, and their wingspan is between 7.1-7.9 inches. On average, these birds weigh between 0.3-0.6 ounces.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Behavior

Very limited information is available about the behavior of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. These Flycatchers find perches in the middle and lower levels of forests. While perched on these branches, they flick their tail and turn their head constantly while searching for insect prey. As soon as they spot any prey, they immediately fly out to grab it midair, or they grab it from the foliage.

Males are territorial as they serve two main purposes, to defend their territory, and to attract a potential mate. Characteristically, males throw back their heads with every note they sing. Invading predators and Flycatchers have vigorous songs by these birds. When they spot an intruder, they also flick and droop their wings, and raise the feathers on their head. Bill-snapping is another behavior these birds make when they are in agonistic encounters.

Not only do these birds protect their territories on their breeding grounds, but they also do so on their overwintering habitats. To do so, they make “tu-wee” calls while foraging.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Diet

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, as the name suggests are insectivorous birds. They also consume some arthropods, and more occasionally fruits. Lower dense vegetation is their preferred spot for foraging. The foraging microhabitats of these birds are similar in both winter and summer.

97% of the diet of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers consists of animal matter, and only 3% consists of vegetable matter. The animal matter consumed by them includes stoneflies, crane flies, midges, beetles, spiders, bugs, moths, and small caterpillars. Beetles are particularly important prey for Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. On rare occasions, these birds
consume fruits such as mountain-ash berries and poison ivy.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Habitat

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are birds that breed in bogs, swamps, peatlands, and boreal coniferous forests. These birds like a thick amount of moss, and an abundance of saplings and shrubs in their habitat.

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers who live in Canada, often choose forest habitats that include stands of blueberries, Labrador teas, laurels, rhododendrons, and spruces. Other than these, they also inhabit deciduous patches located near streams and wet boreal forests. They inhabit forest edges, thickets, and deciduous forests during migration.

You can find Yellow-bellied Flycatchers mainly in semi-open habitats, rainforests, evergreen forests, pine-oak forests, and coffee plantations during winter.

Range and Migration

The breeding range of Yellow-bellied Flycatcher goes across Canada from southern Arctic Canada and extends towards the Atlantic provinces, and North-eastern states. During fall and spring, they migrate towards the eastern portion of the U.S. The wintering grounds of these birds are in southern Central America. These birds are long-distance migrating. Due to their elusive nature, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are a very rare sight during migration.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Lifecycle

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers mostly form pairs in their breeding range between lay-may to mid-June. The earliest date when pairs mate is May 21st. It seems like these birds could be monogamous for life.

On average, one clutch can contain about 2-5 eggs, and these eggs need to incubate for 15 days. Although these birds generally raise only one brood annually, they occasionally raise another brood.

Nesting

Female Yellow-bellied Flycatchers choose the nesting sites. This site is usually located in a shady spot on the ground. This spot is often covered in vegetation and moss. Generally, the nest is under a tree root, or in a hole in a log. Sometimes it can also be in the moss at the base of a fern. These nests are in isolation and difficult to find. These nests are made up of fine rootlets.

Anatomy of a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are relatively small Flycatchers that have broad, flat bills. Their tail is also comparatively shorter than the tails of other birds in their genus.

Final Thoughts

Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are vibrant and gorgeous birds that would be a delight for any birdwatcher to spot. One must be especially careful while spotting them as they are very rarely sighted. It seems more likely that one might mistake another species of birds for Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. But fret not, if you have closely studied the vocal cues of these birds, you might find them!

Ornithology

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Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Yellow-bellied Flycatchers

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

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Bird Feeders ForYellow-bellied Flycatchers

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Bird Houses ForYellow-bellied Flycatchers

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