Willow Flycatcher

About the Willow Flycatcher

The Willow Flycatcher is a small, olive-brown songbird commonly found in shrubby wetlands, stream edges, and brushy fields. With a faint eye ring and a fairly plain appearance, it can be difficult to distinguish from similar flycatchers without hearing its call. It typically perches low in vegetation, darting out to catch insects before returning to the same spot.

Fun Facts

• FitZ-bew!: Its sharp, two-syllable call — often written as fitz-bew — is one of the best ways to identify it.
• Look-Alike Group: It belongs to the Empidonax group of flycatchers, which are famously challenging to tell apart.
• Shrub Specialist: Willow Flycatchers prefer dense shrubs near water during breeding season.
• Long-Distance Migrant: They migrate to Central and South America for the winter.