Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer
Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer. Photograph taken within a residential community in Alamos, Sonora, December 2018. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos, Sonora.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer. Photograph taken within the Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, Hidalgo, Texas, November 2021. Photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Behrstock, Sierra Vista, Arizona (naturewideimages.com).
Background and Identification
The Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer, is a member of the Tyrannidae Family of Tyrant Flycatchers. Dusky-capped Flycatchers are part of the Myiarchus genus, which includes around twenty-two species known for their reddish wing highlights and yellowish bellies. While the majority of Myiarchus species are found in Central and South America, a few, like the Great Crested and Ash-throated Flycatchers, extend their range into the United States. This is a widespread species but is poorly studied, but it is thought that there may be as many as thirteen subspecies of Dusky-capped. Some of these subspecies have very different vocal calls, In Mexico, they are called Copetón Capirotado.
This flycatcher is medium-sized with muted coloration. Muted coloration is typical of the Myiarchus genus. The average length of the adults is 16.0 cm (6.3 inches) to 18.5 cm (7.3 inches) and the average mass is 20 g (0.70 oz). Adults have olive-brown upperparts, a dusky brown head, and paler, yellowish underparts that become brighter near the belly. Its brownish-gray face and throat contrast subtly with the rest of the plumage, and the wings and tail are edged with rufous, though less prominently than in similar species. The species has a slightly crested appearance on the head.
Habitat and Geographical Range
The Dusky-capped Flycatcher inhabits subtropical and tropical forests, woodlands, and forest edges. It is commonly found in pine-oak woodlands, riparian zones, and semi-open areas with sufficient tree cover. They often use nest boxes in more residential areas.
Geographically, this species ranges from southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the United States, through Mexico, and southward to Central America, and even as far as northern Argentina and Bolivia in South America. In the United States, it is mainly a summer breeder and migrates south for the winter, while populations in Central and South America are typically resident year-round.
Common Misidentifications
The Dusky-capped Flycatcher can be confused with other members of the Myiarchus genus, such as the Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens , and the Brown-crested Flycatcher, Myiarchus tyrannulus, which share similar habitats and appearance. However, the Dusky-capped Flycatcher is smaller, has duller coloration, and lacks the prominent rufous tail seen in the Ash-throated Flycatcher. Additionally, its distinctive descending call helps to differentiate it from its close relatives, which often have sharper, more abrupt vocalizations.
Conservation Status
From a conservation perspective the Dusky-capped Flycatcher is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable populations found in an extremely large range. However, habitat degradation and deforestation in parts of its range, particularly in Central and South America, could pose future challenges.