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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)

-Tyrant Flycatchers (Family Tyrannidae)

-Empidonax Flycatchers (Genus Empidonax)

-Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)


The Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) is a small, active songbird in the family Tyrannidae, commonly referred to as tyrant flycatchers. Feeds primarily on insects, such as flies, beetles, and caterpillars, often catching them in flight or gleaning them from foliage. Known for its "sit-and-wait" hunting strategy, perching on exposed branches and darting out to capture prey.

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus

Diet

  • Primarily small flying insects, including flies, mosquitoes, gnats, beetles, ants, wasps, moths, and leafhoppers.

  • Also feeds on spiders and occasionally small berries during migration and winter.

  • Hunts by making short aerial sallies from exposed perches and by gleaning insects from leaves and twigs.

Range

  • Breeds across southern Canada and the northeastern and north-central United States.

  • Winters from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America.

  • A regular winter visitor to the Zihuatanejo region, where it inhabits tropical dry forests, woodland edges, second-growth forests, riparian woodlands, gardens, and shaded scrub.

  • Prefers open woodland and forest edges during the non-breeding season.

Male / Female

  • Male: Olive-grey upperparts, pale gray throat and breast, whitish belly, distinct white eye ring, and two whitish wing bars. Slightly larger and may sing more frequently on the breeding grounds.

  • Female: Nearly identical in plumage but generally a little smaller.

  • Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences or breeding behaviour.

Size

  • Length: 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in)

  • Wingspan: 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in)

  • Weight: 8–13 g

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