Subject: [Tweeters] Pewee vs empidonax flycatchers
Date: May 25 07:41:41 2005
From: Mike Patterson - celata at pacifier.com
The most efficient way to sort most empidonax flycatchers from
Western Wood Pewee is by looking for an eyering. Pewees don't
have one. They also have much longer primaries which stick
out (project) well beyond the secondaries. Pewees almost always
have a crested look as well. And they're often talkative
("WEE-ear" or "WEE-ee" or "nyah" among other variants).
http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/observatory/thisweekinhand/wwpe20040525.html
The empid that can be most easily confused with pewees is Willow
Flycatcher, which usually has no eyering. Willows are usually
smaller looking, greener and have a much shorter primary projection.
When they're talking? "RITZ-beyoo" or just "ritz", sometimes "yipp".
http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/neotrops/in_hand.html#empid
As for Gray Flycatcher... I would describe the gray on them as
more pearly (pewees are more slaty). They routinely looks crestless.
When these guys talk, the zerps and zweeps they make are more
like Dusky or Hammond's than pewees
I've dusted off the ol' empidonax key, though I haven't had time
for updates. It's at:
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/archive/empid/empid.html
--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com
Go, and sin no more (ethics in birding)
http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/002555.html