Alder Flycatcher Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A small flycatcher with an upright posture and a large, usually rounded head. The bill is straight and fairly broad, and the wings are short.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Common Yellowthroat, smaller than an Eastern Phoebe.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 5.1-6.7 in (13-17 cm)
    • Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (12.1-14.9 g)
    • Wingspan: 8.3-9.4 in (21-24 cm)

  © Ryan Schain / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Brownish olive green above with two white wingbars; whitish below. Compared with most other Empidonax species, the eyering is indistinct.

• Behavior

  Forages for insects by flying out from tree perches to take them from leaf surfaces or midair.
• Habitat

  Breeds in wet boreal thickets, shrubby bogs, and other areas of regrowth following clearcutting or fire.