Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Vermilion Flycatcher
Pyrocephalus rubinus
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 14.4 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 Pyrocephalus
- Species rubinus
Where it lives
Southwestern USA to southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay, southeastern Brazil to Argentina and Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Strongly dimorphic: the adult male has a brilliant red crown and underparts contrasting with a blackish (brownish-black) mask, back, wings and tail; the female is grey-brown above with a whitish, finely streaked breast and a salmon/peach wash on the lower belly and undertail coverts.
Juvenile appearance
Immature females are duller than adult females with a peachy/salmon belly and streaky breast; immature males show variable patches of red on the head and breast.
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Vermilion Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Vermilion Flycatcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA sw USA to se Bolivia, Paraguay, se Brazil to Argentina and Uruguay.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.4 cm and a tail of around 5.8 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 8.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Vermilion Flycatcher?
The Vermilion Flycatcher is a very small bird that weighs around 14.4 g.
Where does the Vermilion Flycatcher live?
The Vermilion Flycatcher is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA sw USA to se Bolivia, Paraguay, se Brazil to Argentina and Uruguay, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Vermilion Flycatcher belong to?
The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Vermilion Flycatcher eat?
The Vermilion Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Vermilion Flycatcher migrate?
The Vermilion Flycatcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Vermilion Flycatcher 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 Vermilion Flycatcher make?
1 real field recording of the Vermilion Flycatcher — 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 Vermilion Flycatcher's range?
The Vermilion Flycatcher has a mapped global range of about 8.5 million 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.