Flycatcher WESTERN BIRDS 



five; and the third, six. The air was warm when these 

 observations were made and many insects were on the 

 wing. The next day, when it was much cooler, only 

 seventeen insects were taken in eight minutes. 



These various observations go to show how very use- 

 ful these Wood Pewees are. They are entirely insec- 

 tivorous and like such pests as flying beetles and ants, 

 moths, butterflies, gnats, flies, mosquitoes and spiders. 



GENUS EMPIDONAX. 



In this genus are a group of small Flycatchers that 

 so resemble each other in size and coloring as to some- 

 times deceive the most careful bird student. If they do 

 not succeed in veiling their identity, there is a chance 

 that they will drive the poor seeker after knowledge 

 almost crazy before he becomes assured just which name 

 belongs to the particular bird he is pursuing. In some 

 cases the range of the bird will help to identify it, some 

 being eastern and others western. At other times the 

 note of the bird will be the best guide but since it is 

 almost impossible to accurately describe these various 

 calls so that the observer may be sure of them, it remains 

 for the student of these tiny birds to go to their haunts 

 and learn from Nature. So far as possible I will differ- 

 entiate the most important and common of them. 



WESTERN FLYCATCHER. 

 Western Flycatcher: Empidonax difficilis difficilis. 



This bird breeds from Alaska south to Montana, and 

 southwestern South Dakota to southern California and 

 western Texas; wintering in Mexico. 



This Flycatcher is sometimes called the Western Yel- 



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