260 FLYCATCHERS 



464. Empidonax difficilis Baird. WESTERN FLYCATCHER. 



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

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

 with brown across breast, brightening 1 to sulphur yellow on 

 belly and under tail coverts ; under wing coverts buffy, 

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

 >U nostrils decidedly greater than half the length of exposed 

 " culmen. Young : similar, but browner above, with wing 

 bands yellowish brown or rusty buff, sulphur yellow of belly 

 replaced by dull white. Length : 5.50-6.00. Male : wing 

 Fig. 339. 2.50-2.1)0, tail 2.35-2.60, bill .57-.63, bill from nostril .29- 

 .33, width at base .25-.2S, tarsus .G4-.69. Female : wing 2.30-2.60, tail 

 2.20-2.45. 



Remarks. The distinct yellow tone of the under parts distinguishes 

 difficilis from- all western flycatchers. 



Distribution. Breeds in Transition and Canadian zones from the east- 

 ern foothills of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent 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 lowlands 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 Oberh. 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. 



Remarks. 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 (Aud.). TRAILL FLYCATCHER. 



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

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

 from dusky centers of coronal feathers ; 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 



