Acadian Flycatcher Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Small and long-tailed, with a large, peaked head and a broad, flat bill. Sits with a distinctly upright posture. Wings are long for a flycatcher.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Yellow Warbler, smaller than a Great Crested Flycatcher.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 5.5-5.9 in (14-15 cm)
    • Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (11.1-13.9 g)
    • Wingspan: 8.7-9.1 in (22-23 cm)

  © Tim Lenz / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Acadian Flycatchers are olive-green above with a whitish eyering and whitish underparts. The wings are dark with two distinct white wingbars. The bill is dark above and mostly orange-yellow below.

• Behavior

  Sits quietly at middle levels in the forest, sallying out to snatch insects from the bottom of leaves or in midair, and returning to its perch.
• Habitat

  Breeds in mature deciduous forests, often in lowlands near rivers, streams, and swamps. In winter, they can be found in lowland tropical forest.