Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)
Vermilion Flycatcher Male Portrait
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Vermilion Flycatcher Variations:

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General

Vermilion Flycatcher: Small, stocky flycatcher with gray-black upperparts and scarlet-red crown, throat, and underparts. Face has thick, black eye-line. Wings and tail are gray-black; tail has thin white tip. Female has gray-brown upperparts and head, thin dark mask, white throat, streaked white breast, pink belly and vent, and dark tail with white edges. Juvenile resembles female but has more distinct streaks on breast and lacks pink belly and vent.

Range and Habitat

Vermilion Flycatcher: Breeds from southeastern California east to western Texas and south into the tropics. Spends winters in southern part of breeding range, but wanders as far east as the Gulf Coast. Found in wooded or brushy areas near water.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pit-pitasee, pit-pit-pitasee", "pitz"

Interesting Facts

 The Vermilion Flycatcher was first described in 1783 by Pieter Boddaert, a Dutch physician and naturalist.

 The male often seeks to initiate copulation by delivering a butterfly or other showy insect to the female.

 Alternate names for this bird include Galapagos Flycatcher and Darwin’s Flycatcher.

 A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Vermilion Flycatcher

Related Birds

House Finch
Purple Finch
Cassin's Finch
Say's Phoebe
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Phoebe
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Family Flycatcher (Tyrannidae)_blue
Species Pyrocephalus rubinus
Length5.75 - 6.5 Inches
Wingspan12.5 Inches

Vermilion Flycatcher

Vermilion Flycatcher: Small, stocky flycatcher, gray-black upperparts and scarlet-red crown, throat, and underparts. Face has thick, black eye-line. Wings and tail are gray-black; tail has thin white tip. Weak fluttering flight on shallow wing beats. Hovers in display flight and when foraging.

● Song: "pit-pitasee, pit-pit-pitasee", "pitz"

● Foraging & Feeding: Vermilion Flycatcher: Feeds on insects; forages by flying from perch to catch prey in mid-air.

● Breeding & nesting: Vermilion Flycatcher: Two to four white eggs with brown, gray and lavender spots are laid in a shallow cup of twigs, weed stalks, grass, and bark, lined with down, and built on a horizontal tree branch 8 to 55 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 14 to 15 days and is carried out by the female; usually has two broods per year.

● Similar species: Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill., Vermilion Flycatcher: Scarlet Tanager is larger with black wings and tail and pale bill.

Flight Pattern

Weak fluttering flight with shallow wing beats., Hovers when feeding., Sallies from perch to catch insects in the air.
Vermilion Flycatcher Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Vermilion Flycatcher: Breeds from southeastern California east to western Texas and south into the tropics. Spends winters in southern part of breeding range, but wanders as far east as the Gulf Coast. Found in wooded or brushy areas near water.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationFairly common
MigrationMost migrate
Weight0.5 Ounces