WESTERN BIRDS riycatcHer 



GENUS EMPIDONAX: WRIGHT'S FLY- 

 CATCHER. 



Wright's Flycatcher: Empidonax wrighti. 

 FAMILY— FLYCATCHERS. 



This bird breeds from in the west from British Colum- 

 bia south to central California, Arizona, New Mexico, 

 and western Texas, and east to the base of the Rocky 

 Mountains; wintering in Mexico. 



It differs from Hammond's in having a wider bill, 

 grayer plumage above and whiter below, with throat 

 often whitish; outer web of outer tail feather abruptly 

 paler than inner web. 



Willett says it is a common summer resident in the 

 mountains from 5,500 to 9,000 feet altitude, its breeding 

 range extending south at least to the San Jacinto Range, 

 being a fairly common migrant along the base of the 

 mountains, a few remaining during the winter. They 

 are restless midgets and seem rather to avoid detection. 

 According to Vernon Bailey they are fond of the sage- 

 brush in the Great Basin country, often placing their nest 

 in a fork of the sage. 



This bird is sometimes called Gray Little Flycatcher. 



In the mountains of southern California, Arizona, and 

 New Mexico a similar but larger and grayer bird is 

 known as the Gray Flycatcher (E. griseus). It is rare 

 and easily confused with Wright's. 



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