Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: Least Flycatcher

Reporter: Jay Carlisle

989 W. Sherwood, Boise, ID 83706

jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu

Other Observers: Heidi Ware

Date Report Prepared: 6-19-10

Date Sighting Occurred: 6-16 and 6-17-09

Locality of Observation: Elk Creek W of Hailey, Blaine County

The GPS coordinates for the survey point where the bird was observed:

43.47681164

-114.43041768

Habitat: A stand of mature aspen along the creek bottom

Conditions: partly cloudy; warm

Did you take notes? No

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? no

What guide(s) or reference(s) did you consult?

Description: While scouting an area to be surveyed the following day, we first heard the distinctive ‘Che-bec’ song coming repeatedly from a stands of aspens on the afternoon of June 16. On the following day, Heidi also heard the bird during the formal point count survey.

Behavior: The bird was only heard singing.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? The ‘che-bec’ song is diagnostic.

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? Other Empidonax flycatchers are all candidates. Since this was an auditory observation, I’ll only consider vocalization of other species. Of the western Empidonax, the most similar in song is the Gray Flycatcher which tends to sing two, two-note phrases (not a single phrase sang repeatedly) that are much less emphatic than the song of Least (Gray also occurs primarily in tall sagebrush and/or open pine forests whereas Least is primarily a bird of deciduous trees/forests). Other Empidonax, including Dusky & Hammond’s have two-note phrases as part of their song but none sing them in a rapidly repeating fashion like the Least. Willow sings an emphatic “fitz-bew” while Cordilleran has extremely high-pitched song and call that are very unlike Least.

Experience with this species (and similar species): I have observed 100s to 1000s of all the western Empidonax (and smaller #s of all the eastern species as well) both in the field & in the hand (via migration banding). Thus, I’m very familiar with the songs, calls, plumage, and structure of the Empidonax.

General birding experience: extensive; 14+ years in US and Latin America

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) No.