Western Flycatcher
Empidonax difficilis
Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) — 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 Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 10.7 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 Empidonax
- Species difficilis
Where it lives
Western Canada and western USA to southern Mexico
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Western Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Western Flycatcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) is a member of the Tyrannidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA w Canada and w USA to s Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 865,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Western Flycatcher?
The Western Flycatcher is a very small bird that weighs around 10.7 g.
Where does the Western Flycatcher live?
The Western Flycatcher is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA w Canada and w USA to s Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Western Flycatcher belong to?
The Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Western Flycatcher eat?
The Western Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Western Flycatcher migrate?
The Western Flycatcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Western 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 Western Flycatcher make?
1 real field recording of the Western 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 Western Flycatcher's range?
The Western Flycatcher has a mapped global range of about 865,000 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.