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By Smithers
#90700
Hi,
I saw this bird today and have seen the same or similar birds in the last few weeks near Navvy Jack Park in West Vancouver. I'm new at this, but I see a yellow lower mandible, a pale throat, yellowish underparts, a partial eye-ring, a pale gray back and thin white edges to wing feathers. On this basis, it seems to be an Eastern Wood-Pewee, although I understand this to be rare in BC. The distinct pale throat and yellowish underbelly appear to distinguish it from and Western Wood Pewee. What do you think?

Smithers



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By BirdingBC
#90701
Flycatchers can be difficult to ID, and empidonax flycatchers even harder.

I believe this bird comes from the empidonax flycatchers group. This bird looks like a Willow Flycatcher but I am far from certain at this stage. I wonder if this is a juvenile bird as the feathers look somewhat fresh and fluffy to me.

I think we can rule out Western Wood Pewee as both it looks larger and darker. Eastern Wood Pewee would be quite rare on the west coast so need to rule out the other more common species before considering this.

To help with this ID, where was the bird photographed and what habitat was it in?

Also here are some resources to help with the ID:
Empid Identification PDF

https://www.birdwatchingblog.us/america ... chers.html

Cheers,
By Smithers
#90702
Hi Kevin,

Thanks!

The bird was at the top of a large bush between an apartment building and the Burrard inlet (100 ft away) in West Vancouver at about 21st St.

Smithers
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By BirdingBC
#90704
I need to enlist the Vancouver birders here for likely candidates.

There are a few eBird locations near the area. I checked them only Ambleside Park has Pac-Slope and Willow Flycatcher so these birds are in the area (approx).

Ambleside Park - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L338913
John Lawson Park - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2744906
West Van Seawall - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L5413613

Given this bird showed up in a urban setting during summer breeding, I think the likely candidates would be Pacific Slope-flycatcher and Willow Flycatcher and then something more rare. I don't know how urban Willow Flycatcher are in Vancouver. Here in Victoria, we find them outside the main suburban core, located on open habitat so a treeline next to a grassy field works for them. Usually deciduous/riperian trees and scrubby land. In fall, I find they tolerate being closer to suburbia, but again, always near field habitat (and bugs).

Pacific-slope hang around larger trees and are usually under the canopy somewhere. Garry Oaks, Cottonwood, large pacific willows, and of course in Douglas fir forests. They also have adapted to urban parks with large trees.

Anyway, I find this an interesting find. Gives us more insight on Flycatcher locations in urban settings. We will work on the ID.

Cheers,

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