State Rarity: Ash-throated Flycatcher in Westport
December 2, 2015Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
What It Looks Like: This is one of North America’s four resident flycatchers in the genus Myiarchus. The only species resident in Connecticut is the familiar Great Crested Flycatcher. All of the genus members are similar in pattern, with yellow bellies and varying amounts of rufous in the wings and tail. In comparison to the Great Crested, the Ash-throated is somewhat smaller with a smaller bill, paler yellow underparts and ashy gray tones on the throat and breast.
Where To Find It: If you want to see one, you would normally have to go West, young birder, go West. But for the past two weeks one has been reliably found at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Check the ctbirds listserv to see if it is still around. It’s been very reliable and has been seen by many birders during its continuing stay.
by Greg Hanisek
What It Looks Like: This is one of North America’s four resident flycatchers in the genus Myiarchus. The only species resident in Connecticut is the familiar Great Crested Flycatcher. All of the genus members are similar in pattern, with yellow bellies and varying amounts of rufous in the wings and tail. In comparison to the Great Crested, the Ash-throated is somewhat smaller with a smaller bill, paler yellow underparts and ashy gray tones on the throat and breast.
Where To Find It: If you want to see one, you would normally have to go West, young birder, go West. But for the past two weeks one has been reliably found at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Check the ctbirds listserv to see if it is still around. It’s been very reliable and has been seen by many birders during its continuing stay.
How To Find It: The best way to find one in Connecticut is to be acutely aware of seasonal timing. Great Crested Flycatchers are fairly common May-September in deciduous woods, with a few present in late April and early October. Ash-throated Flycatchers, while rare, occur annually in the Northeast in November and December, sometimes lingering into January. Great Crested Flycatchers are essentially unknown during that time period. If you see what you think is a Great Crested in November or later it will almost certainly be an Ash-throated.
Connecticut has five accepted records for Ash-throated, ranging from November 12 to January 15, as well as a few other records that were likely this species. Careful observation and photos if possible are needed to confirm an Ash-throated because of its overall rarity and the similarity among Myiarchus species. But understanding of seasonal occurrence will prevent you from passing up an Ash-throated as just another Great Crested.
Noteworthy: Ash-throated Flycatchers arrive in our region via a reverse migration tied to weather systems moving from the Southwest region into the Northeast. This is the pattern that also sends Cave Swallows and probably White-winged Doves our way. Two other Myiarchus – LaSagra’s Flycatcher from the West Indies and Nutting’s Flycatcher from Mexico – have occurred in the South but not in our region.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Photo: TJ from AZ, via Carolinabirds.org
