Home, near and far.
This species breeds across central and eastern Canada, extending south to the Great Lakes region, northern New York, and New England. It winters from southern Mexico through Central America to Panama.
Birds Heard
FIELD GUIDE
FIELD GUIDE
Tyrant Flycatchers and Allies
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is a small, compact songbird of the Empidonax genus, known for its yellowish underparts and distinctive eye-ring. This species is often found in the deep shade of northern forests and bogs during the breeding season. Despite the challenges of identifying Empidonax flycatchers, its strong yellow wash and vocalizations aid in its recognition.
MigratorySmall sizeInsectivorousForest dweller
Meet the neighborhood - Length
- 13-15 cm
- Wingspan
- 18-23 cm
- Weight
- 9-17 g
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
You’ll know it
when you see it.
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
- 01
Underparts
Adults have distinctly yellowish underparts, including the throat, with a dusky wash across the chest.
- 02
Eye-ring
A prominent, complete, and often yellowish eye-ring is a key feature.
- 03
Wingbars
Two whitish wingbars contrast with the darker wings; juveniles may show more buffy wingbars.
- 04
Overall Coloration
Upperparts are generally olive-green, providing camouflage in its forested habitat.
02 / A place in the world
Where life
takes it.
During the breeding season, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers inhabit cool, moist coniferous or mixed forests, particularly spruce bogs, swamps, and muskegs with abundant moss cover. In winter, they occupy various forest types, including dense rainforests and shaded coffee plantations.
Stay a while. Or follow the season.
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is a long-distance Neotropical migrant, moving south for the winter and returning north late in spring. Migration occurs primarily through the eastern United States, even for birds breeding in western Canada.
03 / Listen a little closer
A voice
of its own.
The song is an abrupt, harsh, and somewhat descending 'che-lek' or 'tse-berk'. Calls include a high-pitched, rising 'per-wee' or 'turree'.
04 / The life behind the feathers
A day in its world.
On the menu.
Its diet consists mainly of small insects and spiders, including flies, beetles, wasps, and caterpillars. Small numbers of berries and seeds are also consumed, particularly outside the breeding season.
This flycatcher typically perches in the lower to middle levels of the forest, sallying out to catch flying insects in mid-air. It also gleans insects and spiders from foliage and branches, sometimes hovering.
A place to begin.
Nests are placed on or near the ground in shady, mossy areas of bogs or damp forests, often under tree roots or in sphagnum moss. The female incubates 3-4, sometimes 5, white eggs lightly spotted with brown.
The little routines.
Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are often found in deep shade, where they can be inconspicuous. They are known to respond to 'pishing' sounds, which can help in observation. They have one of the shortest stays on their breeding grounds among Neotropical migrants.
One more reason to pay attention
A familiar face.
A few surprises.
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher has one of the shortest breeding seasons of any Neotropical migrant, often less than 70 days.
This species was first described in 1843 by Spencer Fullerton Baird, an American ornithologist.
In Pennsylvania, the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is listed as state endangered due to habitat loss.
05 / An eye for the difference
Could it be
someone else?
Behind these field notesResearch & references · 12 sources
AI-assisted species research. Prepared September 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.