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| Empidonax wrightii (S.F. Baird, 1858) |
The Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) is a small, insectivorous passerine in the tyrant flycatcher family. Spencer Fullerton Baird ( February 3, 1823 &ndash August 19, 1887) was an American ornithologist and Ichthyologist Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of Insects and similar small creatures The tyrant flycatchers ( Tyrannidae) are a family of Passerine Birds which occur throughout North and South America, but are mainly In Biological classification, family ( Latin It is common in the arid regions of western North America, especially the Great Basin. In general terms the Climate of a local or region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available Water, to the extent of hindering The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States. From sagebrush steppes to pinyon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forests, this flycatcher forages for insects from shrubs or low tree branches. Shrub-steppe is a type of low rainfall natural Grassland. Shrub-steppes are distinguishable from deserts which are too dry to support a noticeable cover of perennial grasses The pinyon (or piñon) Pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Ecologically a woodland is an area covered in trees differentiated from a Forest. Ponderosa Pine ( Pinus ponderosa) sometimes called Bull Pine or Western Yellow Pine is a widespread and variable Pine native to western North A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Foraging theory is a branch of Behavioral ecology that studies the foraging behavior of animals in response to the environment in which the animal lives Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or
The gray flycatcher is one of many species in the genus Empidonax. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The genus Empidonax is a group of small insect-eating Passerine Birds in the Tyrant flycatcher family the Tyrannidae These species are very similar in appearance and behavior, and they are notoriously difficult to differentiate. Behavior or behaviour (see spelling differences) refers to the actions or Reactions of an object or Organism, usually The best characteristics for distinguishing these species are voice, breeding habitat, and range. Bird vocalization includes both Bird calls and bird songs In non-technical use bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. Population distribution redirects here For the probability distribution of a statistical population see Probability distribution and Statistical population The gray flycatcher, however, can be identified by a unique behavior, its slow downward tail wag. Behavior or behaviour (see spelling differences) refers to the actions or Reactions of an object or Organism, usually Other Empidonax species typically exhibit a rapid upward tail flick.
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Description
Gray flycatchers are small birds, but larger than most Empidonax flycatchers. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. A typical adult measures 15 cm (6 in) in length, 22 cm (9 in) in wingspan, and 12. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 5g (0. 44 oz) in mass (Pyle et al. Mass is a fundamental concept in Physics, roughly corresponding to the Intuitive idea of how much Matter there is in an object 1987).
Adults have pale gray upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with a faint olive tinge after molting in fall. WING "ESPN 1410" is a commercial AM radio station in Dayton Ohio operating with 5000 watts at 1410 kHz with studios offices and transmitter located on David The tail is the section at the rear end of an Animal 's Body; in general the term refers to a distinct flexible Appendage to the Torso. In Biology, moulting (or molting, also known as shedding or for some species Ecdysis) signifies the manner in which an animal routinely Autumn (also known as fall in North American English) is one of the four Temperate Seasons Autumn marks the transition from Summer Underparts are whitish, but washed slightly with yellow in fresh plumage. Plumage refers both to the layer of Feathers that cover a Bird and the pattern colour and arrangement of those feathers They have white wing bars and an inconspicuous white eye ring. There is a pale supraloral band stretching above the base of the bill. The term supercilium is a name for a Plumage feature present on the heads of many bird species Anatomy Stegosaurus --> Beaks can vary significantly in size and shape from species to species Relative to other Empidonax flycatchers, the gray flycatcher has a long, narrow bill, a long tail, and the mandible tends to be paler for more of its length (Pyle et al. The mandible (from Latin mandibula, "jawbone" or inferior maxillary bone forms the lower Jaw and holds the lower teeth in place 1987).
Juveniles are similar in appearance to adults, but with stronger olive and yellow tones. Also, young birds have buffy wing bars and brownish breasts (Pyle et al. 1987).
Taxonomy
There are no recognized subspecies, and there is no geographic variation reported (Sterling 1999). In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species.
The gray flycatcher is very similar morphologically to the dusky flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri), which has been problematic in taxonomy. The term morphology in Biology refers to the outward appearance ( Shape, Structure, Colour, Pattern) of an Organism The Dusky Flycatcher, Empidonax oberholseri, is a small insect-eating Bird of the Tyrant flycatcher family Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos When described as a species in 1889, the gray flycatcher was named Empidonax griseus. This name was reduced to synonymy when it was discovered that the type specimen designated for the dusky flycatcher was in fact a gray flycatcher. In Scientific nomenclature, synonyms are different Scientific names used for a single Taxon. In biology a type is that which fixes a name to a Taxon. Depending on the nomenclature code which is applied to the organism in question a type may be a specimen In Biology, a specimen is an individual Animal, part of an animal Plant, part of a plant or Microorganism used as a representative to The name then in use for dusky flycatcher was Wright’s flycatcher (E. wrightii), a name proposed in 1858. Because the name wrightii took precedence, it was applied to the gray flycatcher, leaving the dusky flycatcher to be given a new name, E. oberholseri (Sterling 1999).
Distribution
The gray flycatcher breeds from southernmost British Columbia through a narrow zone in central Washington to eastern Oregon and California. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The range extends east across Nevada, southern Idaho, Utah, and northern Arizona to southwestern Wyoming, western Colorado, and northwestern New Mexico (Sterling 1999). Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America.
The gray flycatcher arrives on breeding grounds mid-April to mid-May, depending on latitude, and leaves between mid-August and mid-September. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the Migration between breeding and wintering grounds takes approximately seven weeks in both spring and autumn. Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of Birds Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. Males usually arrive on breeding grounds one week prior to arrival of females (Sterling 1999).
The gray flycatcher winters in Baja California Sur, southeastern Arizona, and central Sonora to central Oaxaca. Baja California Sur (pron BAH-hah kahl'-ee-FORE-nyah SOOR is one of the 31 States of Mexico. Sonora is one of the 31 federal states of Mexico and is located in the northwest of the country The Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), in Spanish phonemically /oa'xaka/ named for its largest city, is one of the Small numbers may winter in western Texas and southern California (Sterling 1999). Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State.
Habitat
Breeding habitat can be shrubland, open woodland, or forest with bare understory. Shrubland (synonymous with Scrubland) is a habitat type dominated by woody Shrubs A shrub is a perennial woody plant that branches at ground level to form several Understory (or understorey) is the term for the area of a Forest which grows in the shade of the emergent or forest canopy. Although it is typically dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia spp), common associations include bitterbrush (Purshia spp), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp, Ericameria nauseosus), mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), juniper (Juniperus spp), pinyon pine (Pinus spp), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Purshia ( bitterbrush or cliff-rose) is a small genus of 5-8 species of Flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to western For Gray (or Rubber and Parry's Rabbitbrush see Ericameria Chrysothamnus, common names Rabbitbrush and Chamisa, is a For other species of rabbitbrush see Chrysothamnus Ericameria is a genus of shrubs in the daisy family known by the common Mountain-mahogany ( Cercocarpus) is a small genus of five or six species of Deciduous Shrubs or small Trees in the rose family ( Rosaceae Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation.
During migration habitat is generally similar to breeding habitat, but riparian areas are often used. "Riparian" redirects here For the legal doctrine see " Riparian water rights. Thus, migrants may be found in willow (Salix spp), oaks (Quercus spp), or mesquite (Prosopis spp) (Sterling 1999). Willows, sallows and osiers form the Genus Salix, around 400 species of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs found primarily The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin Prosopis is a Genus of about 45 species of leguminous spiny Trees and Shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions
In winter the gray flycatcher is found in “arid open and semiopen areas with scrub and scattered trees” (Howell 1995).
Behavior
Diet
The diet presumably consists entirely of insects and other small invertebrates. Fruit may be eaten in winter, but that has not been confirmed (Sterling 1999).
Most prey is taken in flight or from the ground. Hawking, or hawking insects, is the primary feeding strategy for some birds including most typical Nightjars and some Old World flycatchers Monarch A bird will wait on an open perch – usually on a shrub or low tree branch – and fly out to catch a passing insect. Less commonly, a hovering bird gleans prey from foliage or bark. Gleaning, or gleaning insects, is a common feeding strategy for some groups of birds including most Flycatchers This behaviour can be contrasted with hawking In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. Bark, also known as periderm is the outermost layer of stems and Roots of Woody plants such as Trees It overlays the Wood and consists
Reproduction
The gray flycatcher is territorial during the breeding season. In Ethology, Sociobiology and Behavioral ecology, the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an Animal of a particular Species Males establish a territory and attract a female through vocalizations and displays. They appear to be monogamous, but extra-pair copulations may occur (Sterling 1999). Monogamy is the custom or condition of having only one mate in a Relationship, thus forming a Couple. Promiscuity refers to sexual behavior of a man or woman who casually has sex with many partners
The nest is bulky and less compact than those of other Empidonax flycatchers. A bird nest is the spot in which a Bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young The female builds the nest (males rarely help) from various plant materials, especially grass stalks and strips of bark. The nest is usually lined with softer materials, such as wool, hair, feathers, or soft grasses. Nests may be placed in sagebrush, bitterbrush, junipers, or pines. Nest height depends in part on the height of the substrate (i. e. , nests tend to be higher in taller trees) but is usually 1 - 6 m (3 - 20 feet) above ground. Most nests are placed in the crotch of a branch next to the trunk, but some are situated on larger branches away from the trunk (Sterling 1999).
Females lay one egg per day, with a final clutch size of three or four. In most Birds and Reptiles an egg ( Latin ovum) is the Zygote, resulting from Fertilization of the Ovum. A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by one Bird or Reptile at a single time particularly The female incubates the eggs for about two weeks. Incubation is the process by which Birds hatch their eggs, and to the development of the Embryo within the egg The eggs, although laid on different days, usually hatch on the same day. The chicks are altricial and have little down when they hatch. Altricial means "requiring nourishment" and refers to a pattern of growth and development in organisms which are incapable of moving around on their own soon after hatching or Both parents feed the nestlings. Fledging occurs about 16 days after hatching (Sterling 1999). Fledge is the stage in a young Bird 's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight
Vocalizations
Only the male sings. The song is a strong, two syllable note described as chuwip or wilip. A weaker, higher-pitched teeap or seep is often inserted into the song. Both sexes give a dry pit or wit call. Females call often when foraging or collecting nest materials (Sterling 1999). Foraging theory is a branch of Behavioral ecology that studies the foraging behavior of animals in response to the environment in which the animal lives
References
- BirdLife International (2004). Empidonax wrightii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 06 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
- Howell, Steve N. G. (1995). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854012-4.
- Pyle, Peter, Steve N. G. Howell, Robert P. Yunick, and David F. DeSante. 1987. Identification Guide to North American Passerines. Slate Creek Press. Bolinas, CA.
- Sterling, John C. 1999. Gray flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed. ). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
External links
- Gray Flycatcher photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res--(Close-up)
- Photo-High Res--(Close-up); Article – www-personal. ksu. edu-(Photo gallery–Utah Birds)
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