Hawks Aloft, Inc.

Willow Flycatchers are part of a tricky group of small, look-alike birds called Empidonax flycatchers, which can be surprisingly hard to tell apart in the field. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, you might notice a few subtle clues: a pale throat, a slightly chunky bill for its size, soft buffy wing bars, and a faint or sometimes barely visible eye ring. The best way to identify them however, is by ear! That is because they have a very distinct raspy song, described as a “fitz-bew”, with subtle variations between subspecies.

Photo by: PD St. Clair