Photo: HarmonyonPlanetEarth / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Greater Pewee
Contopus pertinax
Greater Pewee (Contopus pertinax) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Greater Pewee (Contopus pertinax) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 27.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Contopus
- Species pertinax
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Greater Pewee is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Greater Pewee is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Greater Pewee (Contopus pertinax) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA to Nicaragua.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.2 g, with a wing length of about 10.8 cm and a tail of around 8.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 856,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Greater Pewee?
The Greater Pewee is a small bird that weighs around 27.2 g.
Where does the Greater Pewee live?
The Greater Pewee is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA to Nicaragua, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Greater Pewee belong to?
The Greater Pewee (Contopus pertinax) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Greater Pewee eat?
The Greater Pewee is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Greater Pewee migrate?
The Greater Pewee is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Greater Pewee endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Greater Pewee make?
1 real field recording of the Greater Pewee — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Greater Pewee's range?
The Greater Pewee has a mapped global range of about 856,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.