Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Empidonax fulvifrons

Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Empidonax fulvifrons. Photograph taken within Reserva Monte Mojino, Alamos, Sonora, December 2018. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos.

Introduction and Identification

The Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Empidonax fulvifrons, is a member of the Tyrannidae family of Tyrant Flycatchers. It is the smallest member of this family and by far the rarest. In the United States, it is most common in Arizona, and the large majority of studies of this species’s biology have only occured in Arizona. They are easiest to find in spring and early summer when the males sing their short “chee-lick” mating call. In Mexico, this species is called Mosquero Pechicanelo.

This species is the smallest North American Empidonax with a length of 13 cm (5.1 inches) and an average mass of 8 g (0.28 oz). Adult Buff-breasted Flycatchers have a small, compact body with a relatively short tail. Their upperparts are grayish-brown, while their underparts are pale buff to yellowish, with the namesake buff coloring most prominent on the breast and flanks. They have a slightly crested head, a narrow, pale eye-ring, and a small, thin bill. Sexes are distinguished by the presence of a brood patch in females. A brood patch is a featherless area of skin on a bird’s abdomen or breast that creates more efficient heat transfer to eggs during incubation.

Habitat and Geographical Range

Throughout its range, the Buff-breasted Flycatcher prefers pine-oak woodlands and montane riparian forests and are found at elevations between 1,200 m (3,900 feet) and 2,700 m (8,850 feet). They are typically found in areas with sparse understory and an open canopy, which provides suitable foraging opportunities. Buff-breasts are often associated with areas near streams or other water sources.

Geographically, the Buff-breasted Flycatcher is found in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. In the United States, their range includes southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and occasionally western Texas. In Mexico, they are more widespread and found in the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental mountain ranges.

Common Misidentifications

Buff-breasted Flycatchers can be confused with other small flycatcher species, particularly those within the Empidonax genus. One common look-alike is the Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis, which shares similar habitats. However, the Pacific Slope Flycatcher has more olive-colored upperparts and lacks the distinctive buff breast of the Buff-breasted Flycatcher.

Conservation Status

From a conservation perspective the Buff-breasted Flycatcher is currently considered to be of Least Concern, with stable widely distributed populations within in its North and Central American ranges.