# Acadian Flycatcher (*Empidonax virescens*) The Acadian Flycatcher is a small, cheerful bird that loves to sing in the trees. It has a soft greenish color and can be found flitting about in the woods, catching insects to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Acadian Flycatcher](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Acadian_Flycatcher_Fall_Out_2_Sabine_Woods_TX_2018-04-09_14-00-14_%2826637940077%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bettina Arrigoni, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acadian_Flycatcher_Fall_Out_2_Sabine_Woods_TX_2018-04-09_14-00-14_%2826637940077%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Acadian Flycatcher is a small, greenish-olive bird with a whitish throat and belly, often appearing slightly dull. It has a distinctive pale eye-ring and two clear whitish wing bars that help distinguish it from similar flycatchers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Tyrannidae - **Genus:** Empidonax ## Interesting facts - An Acadian Flycatcher can catch hundreds of bugs in just one day! - Their unusual hanging nests often sway freely in the forest breezes. - These tiny birds migrate thousands of miles to warmer lands each year! - They use a special 'pee-tsa!' song to find mates and claim territory. ## Special abilities - **Aerial Ambush Hunter:** Acadian Flycatcher can dart from a perch to snatch flying insects mid-air, a skilled aerial hunter in the forest. - **Secret Nest Builder:** Acadian Flycatcher has a unique nest, often flimsy-looking but sturdy, suspended like a hammock from tree branches. - **Forest Voice:** Acadian Flycatcher can use its distinct 'pee-tsa' call to communicate, helping other birds recognize its presence. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12.5-14 cm - **Wingspan:** 22-24 cm - **Weight:** 0.01-0.014 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 13-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds primarily eat flying insects caught mid-air! - **Primary Foods:** flies, mosquitoes, beetles, wasps, small caterpillars, spiders - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Large hawks may prey on adult flycatchers. - **Eaten by:** [Western Ratsnake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-ratsnake) (*Pantherophis obsoletus*) — Tree-climbing snakes can find and eat eggs or nestlings. - **Shelter:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — They build their delicate nests within the branches of various trees. - **Hunts:** [Yellow Fever Mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — These birds actively hunt and consume many types of mosquitoes. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Acadian Flycatcher? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Acadian Flycatcher? 12.5-14 cm ### What is Acadian Flycatcher's wingspan? 22-24 cm ### How much does Acadian Flycatcher weigh? 0.01-0.014 kg ### How long does Acadian Flycatcher live? 3-7 years ### How fast can Acadian Flycatcher move? 40 km/h ### What does Acadian Flycatcher eat? These tiny birds primarily eat flying insects caught mid-air! ### Where is Acadian Flycatcher usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/battle-creek-cypress-swamp-sanctuary) — Maryland, US · Nature Reserve - [Bottle Creek Indian Mounds](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bottle-creek-indian-mounds) — Alabama, US · Historic Site - [Francis Beidler Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/francis-beidler-forest) — South Carolina, US · Forest - [Penn-Roosevelt State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/penn-roosevelt-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park [View all places to see Acadian Flycatcher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/acadian-flycatcher) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Acadian Flycatcher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/acadian-flycatcher)