# Eastern Wood-Pewee (*Contopus virens*) The Eastern Wood-Pewee is a small, gray bird that loves to sing sweet songs in the woods. They are often seen perched quietly on branches, waiting to catch insects to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 16 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Eastern Wood-Pewee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eastern_wood_pewee_%2871095%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_wood_pewee_%2871095%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Eastern Wood-Pewee is a sleek, olive-grey flycatcher with a pale belly and two faint whitish wing bars. It has a slightly peaked crown and a dark bill with a yellowish lower mandible, setting it apart from similar species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Tyrannidae - **Genus:** Contopus ## Interesting facts - Its sad-sounding 'pee-a-wee' song is a classic sound of eastern forests! - Their nest is a tiny cup covered with lichen, making it look like a knot! - These tiny birds fly thousands of miles from North America to South America each year! - They often return to the exact same nesting territory, sometimes the same tree! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobat:** Eastern Wood-Pewee can snatch insects mid-air with incredible agility that helps them catch fast-flying prey. - **Camouflage Master:** Eastern Wood-Pewee has dull, greenish-grey plumage that helps them blend perfectly into forest canopies. - **Silent Hunter:** Eastern Wood-Pewee can glide almost silently through branches because of specialized wing feathers, helping them surprise insects. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 23-26 cm - **Weight:** 0.011-0.014 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-8 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding These expert aerial hunters feast mostly on flying insects, catching them right out of the air! - **Primary Foods:** Flies, Mosquitoes, Beetles, Moths, Wasps - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A swift predator that hunts smaller birds in forests. - **Parasitizes:** [Brown-headed Cowbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-headed-cowbird) (*Molothrus ater*) — Lays its eggs in the pewee's nest, harming its chicks. - **Shelter:** [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) — Commonly builds its lichen-covered nest on oak tree branches. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [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 Eastern Wood-Pewee? 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 Eastern Wood-Pewee? 13-16 cm ### What is Eastern Wood-Pewee's wingspan? 23-26 cm ### How much does Eastern Wood-Pewee weigh? 0.011-0.014 kg ### How long does Eastern Wood-Pewee live? 2-8 years ### How fast can Eastern Wood-Pewee move? 35 km/h ### What does Eastern Wood-Pewee eat? These expert aerial hunters feast mostly on flying insects, catching them right out of the air! ### Where is Eastern Wood-Pewee usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Anderson Japanese Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-japanese-gardens) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Chatham Arch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chatham-arch) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood - [Four Corners](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/four-corners) — New Jersey, US · Neighborhood - [Haskell-Baker Wetlands](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/haskell-baker-wetlands) — Kansas, US · Nature Reserve - [Irvington Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/irvington-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Lock and Dam No. 17](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lock-and-dam-no-17) — Illinois, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Eastern Wood-Pewee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-wood-pewee) ## 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: [Eastern Wood-Pewee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-wood-pewee)