Hammond’s Flycatcher

Yesterday, 3 June 2019, Erika drove 50 miles to Forest Service land adjacent to the Olympic National Park. We took an easy, three-mile trail to Staircase Falls, just within the National Park. The Old Growth Forest was gorgeous but the wildlife disappointing. The only bird of interest was this Empidonax Flycatcher, perched on a tall snag in the forest. The genus Empidonax contains a suite of species that are notoriously difficult to tell apart—especially when they are silent. A number of factors lead me to conclude this bird is a Hammond’s Flycatcher. The first hint is its habitat. Other species are found low in trees and shrubbery and often prefer non-coniferous habitat. Note the notched tail—other Empidonax have square-ended tails. The wings on our bird are relatively long, extending well along the tail. Finally the bill is relatively small, even compared to other Empidonax species, small birds as they are.