Ash-Throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
About This Species
Look for this flycatcher in dry oak woodland, desert scrub, and mesquite thickets across the American Southwest, where it perches upright on a low branch or fence wire before sallying out after flying insects. It nests in old woodpecker holes and nest boxes, so cavities in dead snags are worth checking in spring and summer. Its rolling, slightly harsh 'ka-brick' call often gives it away before it is seen.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Stay back far enough that the bird continues foraging normally rather than repeatedly flushing; a few tens of metres with binoculars is usually enough for a good view.
- Cavity nests are easily abandoned if disturbed, so avoid lingering near a suspected nest hole or tapping the tree.
- Across its range this species falls under general migratory bird protections, so nest disturbance and collection are legally restricted even where enforcement varies.
LCAvesPasseriformesTyrannidae
Seasonal Activity
729,176 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
Photo
(c) Tony Morris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.