 |
Wildlife
- Birds - |
Willow Flycatcher
(Empidonax traillii) B |
 |
RANGE: Breeds from central British Columbia and
southern Alberta east to southern Wisconsin, southern Quebec,
central Maine, and Nova Scotia south to southern California,
western and central Texas, Arkansas, northern Georgia, and
central and eastern Virginia. Winters in Mexico and Central
America.
STATUS: Common; population is generally stable or increasing
throughout its range.
HABITAT: Occurs in a variety of habitats ranging from brushy
fields to willows, thickets along streams, prairie woodlots,
shrubby swales, and open woodland edges. Prefers edge habitats
that include thickets or groves of small trees and shrubs
surrounded by grasslands, as well as the edges of gallery
forests along rivers or streams. In areas where its range
overlaps that of the alder flycatcher, prefers drier, smaller,
more open shrubby habitat.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Fairly open and well-spaced
shrubby habitats. Strongest nesting habitat associations
along the edges of recently cutover or burned forest and
streamside wetland and shrubland.
NEST: Nests usually in horizontal forks or upright crotches of
shrubs or small trees, usually between 3 to 25 feet above the
ground, averaging about 4 to 6 feet. Commonly nests in dogwood,
hawthorn, willow, buttonbush, elder, viburnum, and blackberry.
Places nest at the outer edge of a shrub or thicket, so it can
be easily approached.
FOOD: Eats flying insects.
REFERENCES: Adamus et al. 2001, Bent 1942, DeGraff et al. 1980,
Eckert in Farrand 1983b, Holcomb 1972, Johnsgard 1979, King
1955, Miller 1999, Shunk 2004, Stein 1958, Tate and Tate 1982,
Walkinshaw 1966. |
|
 |
|
