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Willow Flycatcher
Tyrant Flycatchers · Long-distance Migrant

Willow Flycatcher

Traill's Flycatcher, Little Willow Flycatcher, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher · Empidonax traillii

Least Concern13–17 cm · 11–16 g

By the Birdfact teamChecked byNathan Cope

This small but determined songbird darts through riverside willows across North America, snatching flying insects with remarkable precision.
On this page11 sections
  1. How to recognise it
  2. Its size
  3. Its song and calls
  4. When and where to see it
  5. What it eats
  6. Nesting and breeding
  7. Behaviour
  8. Conservation
  9. More photos
  10. Quick facts
  11. Sources

How to recognise it

The Willow Flycatcher is a small bird, though relatively large among Empidonax flycatchers. It's olive-brown above with a pale yellowish belly and two whitish-gray wing bars.

It has a slightly crested head, dark eyes, and a wide bill that's dark above and yellow-orange below. The white throat contrasts with a dull olive-brownish breast band.

Juveniles closely resemble adults but have buffier wing bars and more yellowish undersides. Males and females appear identical, though they can be distinguished during breeding season through close examination.

Its size

Adults
Length
13–17 cm
Wingspan
22–24 cm
Weight
11–16 g

Its song and calls

The Willow Flycatcher's song is a distinctive, sneezy 'fitz-bew' or 'fitzbew'. This vocalization is crucial for species identification, as it differs from the similar-looking Alder Flycatcher.

They also produce a soft 'whit' call and a more emphatic 'whitt' when agitated.

When and where to see it

North America

OctoberMostly absent

Most recorded in October

  1. 1. Arizonaunder 0.1%
  2. 2. Californiaunder 0.1%
  3. 3. Nevadaunder 0.1%
  4. 4. Alabamaunder 0.1%
  5. 5. New Brunswickunder 0.1%

Each dot is a county, state or province: the bigger and darker, the larger the bird’s share of that place’s bird records that month. Grey dots: no regular records. The ringed point is the centre of the bird’s records this month; the arrow shows how it moved since last month, and the dashed loop its path through the year. “Arrivals” colours places where it becomes regular this month (orange) or is in its last regular month (grey). GBIF eBird Observation Dataset, 2019–2024. Map data: Natural Earth, US Census Bureau; place centres © OpenStreetMap contributors.

In your area

See when the Willow Flycatcher is recorded in your county, state or province.

or

How often the Willow Flycatcher turns up in the United States and Canada through the year, from birdwatchers' records.

United States

Summer visitor · regularly May–Sep · most records in June

Canada

Summer visitor · regularly May–Sep · most records in June

Regularly recordedOccasionalBar height: share of all bird records that month
Show as a table
MonthUnited StatesCanada
January<0.001%–
February<0.001%–
March<0.001%–
April<0.001%<0.001%
May0.14% (regular)0.089% (regular)
June0.30% (regular)0.33% (regular)
July0.20% (regular)0.24% (regular)
August0.11% (regular)0.16% (regular)
September0.052% (regular)0.028% (regular)
October0.002%<0.001%
November<0.001%<0.001%
December<0.001%–

Worldwide: recorded regularly in 13 countries

Countries where it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024. Linked countries have their own bird list.

North America (10)
South America (3)

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

Download citations (7)

Tips for seeing it

  • Listen for their distinctive 'fitz-bew' call, especially in early summer
  • Look for them perched on exposed branches near water or in shrubby areas
  • Observe their quick, darting flights as they catch insects
  • In the US, focus on riparian areas and wetlands during breeding season (May-August)

What it eats

Willow Flycatchers primarily feed on flying insects, including flies, beetles, and moths. They catch prey in mid-air with quick, agile flights from their perches.

During migration and in winter, they may supplement their diet with small berries and fruits.

Nesting and breeding

Breeding season for Willow Flycatchers typically begins in late May to early June. Males arrive at breeding grounds first and establish territories, attracting females with their distinctive songs.

Nests are cup-shaped structures made of grass, bark strips, and plant fibers, usually placed in the fork of a small tree or shrub near water. Females lay 3-4 creamy white eggs with brown spots.

Incubation lasts about 13-14 days, primarily done by the female. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge after about 14 days. Pairs often raise two broods per season in some regions.

Behaviour

Willow Flycatchers are known for their 'sit-and-wait' hunting strategy, perching on exposed branches and making short flights to catch insects. They often return to the same perch after catching prey.

During the breeding season, males become territorial and engage in aerial chases to defend their nesting areas.

Conservation

While listed as Least Concern globally, some subspecies of the Willow Flycatcher face significant threats. The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is endangered due to habitat loss and degradation of riparian areas.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting and restoring wetland and riparian habitats.

More photos

3 photos

Quick facts

Length
13–17 cm
Wingspan
22–24 cm
Weight
11–16 g
Lifespan
3–4 years · oldest recorded 11 years
Family
Tyrant Flycatchers
Migration
Long-distance Migrant
Global status (IUCN)
Least Concern
World population
8,100,000 mature individuals
Population trend
Decreasing
Also called
Traill's Flycatcher, Little Willow Flycatcher, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
Scientific name
Empidonax traillii

Sources

4
  1. 1BirdLife International. 2021. Empidonax traillii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22699848A138005562. Source (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2Partners in Flight 2019; Rosenberg et al. 2019
  3. 3Partners in Flight (2020) Source (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4Clapp et al. Longevity records of North American birds: Columbidae through Paridae. J Field Ornithol, 54:123-137 (1983)
Spotted a mistake?Tell usHow we write and checkBy the Birdfact team · Updated

Checked by

Nathan Cope, founder and editor

Nathan founded Birdfact and leads its writers and contributors in the UK, the US and Canada. He has watched and studied birds for more than ten years, and checks every article and species guide before it’s published.

How we write and checkAbout Nathan