GRAY FLYCATCHER 245 



He also suggests a "slight prenuptial moult," saying: "Specimens 

 taken during February and the early part of March are in fresh, 

 unworn plumage, sof( mihI blended in appearance and with a consider- 

 able olivaceous on the dorsum. Those secured at the end of March 

 and throughout April have the feathers rather worn and abraded, the 

 upper parts dull grayish with a few new olivaceous feathers showing on 

 the back. Specimens taken in May present a bright, fresh appearance, 

 with the upper parts olivaceous w^ith but a few of the old gray feathers 

 remaining, and witli considerable yellow on the abdomen." 



These remarks would seem to indicate a partial prenuptial molt at 

 variable times late in winter or in spring. In the series that I have 

 studied ISIarch and April adults are in worn plumage, or undergoing 

 body molt, while the late April and May birds are in fresh plumage. 



Food and behavior. — Except for the food of the young described 

 by Russell and Woodbury, nothing seems to have been published on 

 the food of this flj'catcher, which probably does not differ materially 

 from that of other small flycatchers. Nor is its behavior essentially 

 different from that of its near relatives. Ralph Hoffmann (1927) 

 writes: ''It shares this domain [sage-bush plains] with the Sage 

 Thrasher and the Brewer Sparrow ; the latter glean their food from 

 the ground or the bushes themselves, but the Gray Flycatcher, 

 I^erched on the top of a tall sage-bush, watches the air for its prey. 

 AVhen a Gray Flycatcher is started, it dives from its perch and in its 

 flight keeps well down among the brush. Its song is more emphatic 

 and less varied than either the Hammond's or the Wright's. It has 

 only two elements, a vigorous chi-wip and a fainter cJieep in a higher 

 pitch. These two notes are used in a variety of combinations, but 

 when once they are heard, the Gray Flycatcher can be instantly recog- 

 nized. The call notes are a sharp lohit, like a Traill's, and a liquid 

 whilp which passes into a gurgling note, similar to that of several 

 of the other small Flycatchers." 



Only through long-continued field experience, practice, and close 

 observation can one expect to learn to recognize in life these four 

 small western flycatchers. The gray flycatcher is the largest and 

 grayest, but only at close range and under most favorable circum- 

 stances can the characters mentioned on the first page of our account 

 of hamviondi be recognized. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — ^Western United States and Mexico. 



Breeding range. — The gray flycatcher has been so hopelessly con- 

 fused with the closely related Wright's flycatcher, which it greatly 

 resembles, that it is almost impossible to separate the breeding ranges 

 of the two species, except where breeding birds have been collected. 



324726—42 17 



