260 FLYCATCHERS 



464. Empidonax difiS-Cilis Baird. Western Flycatcher. 



Adults. — Upper parts olivaceous (brownish in winter), wing bars dull 



buffy (brighter in winter); under parts dull yelloiv, shaded 



with brown across breast, brightening to sulphur yellow on 



belly and under tail coverts ; under wing coverts buffy, 



deepening to ochraceous on edge of wing ; width of bill at 



/ nostrils decidedly greater than half the length of exposed 



{ culnien. Young : similar, but browner above, with wing 



bands yellowish brown or rusty buff, sulphur yellow of belly 



replaced by dull white. Length : 5.50-0.00. Male : wing 



Fig. 339. 2.50-2.90, tail 2.35-2.00, bill .57-.e3, bill from nostril .29- 



.33, width at base .25-.28, tarsus .64-.69. Female : wing 2.30-2.00, tail 



2.20-2.45. 



Bemarks. — The distinct yellow tone of the under parts distinguishes 

 difficilis from all western flycatchers. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Transition and Canadian z^nes from the east- 

 ern foothills of the Rocky Mountains and adiacent ranges to the Pacific, 

 and from southern Alaska south to northern Lower California ; migrates 

 to Costa Rica. 



Nest. — Usually not far from water, in alders, trees, stumps, roots, under 

 stream banks, on rock ledges, in natural cavities, or about buildings ; 

 made of plant stems and fibers, down, inner bark, rootlets, leaves, and 

 moss, lined with horsehair and feathers, often coated with green moss. 

 Eggs : 3 or 4, white, blotched and spotted with brown and buff pink. 

 Food. — Largely injurious insects. 



The western flycatcher is a widely distributed bird, as Mr. Allen 

 says, shade apparently being its principal requirement, for it ranges 

 from the lowiands almost to timberline. It is said to have a song 

 and a sweet call, beside a sharp chirp uttered when angry or 

 frightened. 



464.2. Empidonax insulicola Oherh. Santa Barbara Fly- 

 catcher. 



Adult male. — Upper parts olive brown, slightly darker on head and 

 paler and more greenish on rump ; wings with two conspicuous brownish 

 white bars ; throat grayish, faintly washed with yellow ; rest of under parts 

 straw yellow, slightly tinged on breast and sides with olive brown. Wing: 

 2.68, tail 2.40, exposed culmen .47, tarsus .88. 



Bemarks. — E. insulicola differs from E. difficilis in its darker upper 

 parts and paler under parts, the breast having little of the brown wash of 

 difficilis. 



Distribution- — Santa Barbara Islands, California. 



Nest. — In the side of a cliff, a cave, or pocket in a boulder, made of 

 strips of bark and vegetable fibers. Eggs : 2 or 3, white or creamy, dotted 

 with reddish about the larger end. 



466. Empidonax traillii (And.). Traill Flycatcher. 



Width of bill at nostrils decidedly greater than half the length of ex- 

 posed culmen. Adults: eye ring ivhitish ; upper parts olive, darker on head 

 from dusky centers of coronal ifeathers ; wing bars varying from brownish 

 to whitish ; under parts white, shaded with gray across breast, tinged with 

 yellow beneath ; under wing coverts yellowish white. Young : browner 

 above, yellower beneath ; wing bands buff or yellowish brown. Male : length 



