Andy Stepniewski asked about the age of Olive-sided Flycatchers giving the
"pip-pip-pip" call. I remember the first time I heard that call it was
being given by adults that were feeding small nestlings, so it seems to be
given by birds of all ages.

Dick Cannings
Naramata, BC
cannings at vip.net

Andy's query:

>Hugh Jennings reports he "just got back from Colorado, one week was at a
cabin at 8900 ft., about 10
miles north of Silverthorne. Among the 31 birds he recorded was an:
> Olive-sided Flycatcher- "This is first time I was aware of their
'Pip-Pip-Pip'
> call. I had only heard the 'Quick-three-beers' song before."

When I've heard the "pip-pip-pip call" of an Olive-sided Flycatcher and
tracked it down, I've usually (migrants in spring excepted; also I can't
remember hearing one on their August/early September southbound migration)
found it to be a young bird, perhaps maintaining contact and pressuring
it's parents to keep bringing them bugs? My sample size of occasions is
small (3 or 4), so I certainly don't imply one can conclude that all
Olive-sided Flycatchers going "pip-pip-pip" are juveniles. But, I would be
interested if other observers out there have experience with this call
note by Olive-sided Flys and determined the age of the bird giving this
call.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA