Bird Guide

Brown-crested Flycatcher vs Short-crested Flycatcher

Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus)

Brown-crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus tyrannulus

Small35 gWoodland

The brown-crested flycatcher is 18 to 23 cm (7.1 to 9.1 in) long, with a general trend of larger to smaller from north to south. Subspecies M. t. magister is the largest taxon within the entire genus Myiarchus, weighing 36 to 54 g (1.3 to 1.9 oz). The other subspecies weigh 21 to 45 g (0.74 to 1.6 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the subspecies M. t. magister and M. t. cooperi have a grayish brown crown whose feathers have darker shafts and form a bushy crest. Their upperparts are mostly light brownish gray to dark olive gray with often a rufous tinge on the uppertail coverts. Voice: The brown-crested flycatcher's dawn song varies somewhat among the subspecies but overall is "alternated renditions of isolated huits and complex phrases that are typically derived from combination of a whay-burg note with brief series of rapid huits".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Rosa Elena Albornoz · CC0
Photo: Fernando Sessegolo · CC0
Short-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus ferox)

Short-crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus ferox

Small28 gForest

The short-crested flycatcher is about 18 cm (7.1 in) long and weighs 21 to 34 g (0.74 to 1.2 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies M. f. ferox have a smoky brown crown and upperparts; the crown has a slight crest. Their face is otherwise gray. Their wings are mostly dark brown with whitish yellow to grayish outer webs on the tertials. The wing's greater and median coverts have wide paler fuscous brown tips that show as two wing bars. Their tail is dark smoky brown with rufous edges on the feathers that quickly wear away. Voice: The short-crested flycatcher's song, given both at dawn and during the day, is "hort, slowly vibrato-modulated whistles given infrequently". It has also been described as a "short, fine prrrrih trill". Its calls include "rasping whistles, hiccups, and sometimes strident rattles".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: filipeprates · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Brown-crested Flycatcher and Short-crested Flycatcher.