Hammond's Flycatcher
The genus Empidonax comprises a group of small, subtly marked flycatchers that are among the most challenging birds to identify in North America. In Arizona, several species occur, many of them migrating through or breeding in the state’s diverse habitats. These birds are generally olive-green to grayish above, with pale underparts, eye rings, and wing bars. Because plumage differences are slight, identification is often based on voice, behavior, and habitat.
Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) – A regular migrant through Arizona.
Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) – Breeds in higher-elevation forests and shrubby habitats.
Western Flycatchers refer to the closely related Cordilleran Flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis) and Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis).
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) – An Arizona breeder, especially in pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) – Found in riparian thickets, especially cottonwood-willow habitats.
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) – A rare migrant in Arizona.
Buff-breasted Flycatcher (Empidonax fulvifrons) – Arizona’s smallest and most distinctive Empidonax breeds locally in pine–oak canyons.