Family: Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers view all from this family

Description 6 1/2" (17 cm). A sparrow-sized flycatcher, dull olive-gray above, slightly paler below, with 2 whitish wing bars. Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) of eastern United States extremely similar, but generally less dark below; the two species are best distinguished by voice. Empidonax flycatchers are smaller and usually have noticeable eye ring.

Habitat Open woodland and woodland edges; orchards.

Nesting 3 or 4 white eggs, spotted with brown, in a shallow saucer of grass fastened to a horizontal branch.

Range Breeds from eastern Alaska, Mackenzie, and Manitoba south through western United States. Winters in tropics.

Voice   A harsh nasal pee-eeer, very different from the sweet peee-ah weee of the Eastern Wood-Pewee.

Discussion This species is generally found in more open, park-like woodlands than the Eastern Wood-Pewee and is thus more readily observed. In a few areas along the western edge of the Great Plains the two pewees occur together without interbreeding-conclusive evidence that despite their great similarity, they are distinct species.