The Gray Flycatcher is a small, subtly marked member of the tyrant flycatcher family that occurs in Arizona mainly during migration and breeding in suitable habitat. This species can be challenging to identify in the field because of its similarity to other Empidonax flycatchers, but it is distinguished by its consistent tail-wagging behavior and pale grayish plumage. Adults typically measure about 5.5 to 6 inches (14–15 cm) in length, with relatively long wings and a thin bill adapted for catching insects on the wing.
In Arizona, Empidonax wrightii is a breeding bird of high-elevation open pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush flats, and other shrubby habitats, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the state. Breeding territories are often established in areas with scattered trees and ample low shrubs, where the birds forage actively for flying insects. During the winter, this species migrates south into Mexico, so it is absent from Arizona in the colder months. Migration periods, particularly in spring and fall, provide the best opportunities to encounter the species more broadly across the state.
Compared to other Empidonax flycatchers, Empidonax wrightii has a distinctly deliberate tail dip rather than a flick, a useful behavioral clue for field identification. Its call note is also softer and less emphatic than that of other similar species. While never abundant, it is considered a fairly regular summer resident in appropriate habitats of Arizona.
