Fun Acadian Flycatcher Facts For Kids

An Acadian flycatcher or Empidonax virescens is a beautiful small songbird from the family Tyrannidae. The USGS Patuxent Wildlife has conducted numerous research expeditions on this bird. They have identified it as the only type of north American Empidonax with unique nesting features. The nest of an Acadian flycatcher is beautified with nest tails. These birds feed on insect larvae, small species of spiders, flying ants, and so on. These migratory birds prefer the interior parts of the forest. They love the dense canopy layers.

These birds become mature at the age of one. At this age, they become independent to breed and mate. The breeding season begins in April, which continues through August. The population of these birds is relatively stable, and their conservation status is Least Concern. The IUCN Red List gives this tag. These birds are often threatened by deforestation and the hunting of other animals. These animals are cats, blue jays, and species of hawks. Although these birds are found mainly in the southeastern regions of America, some populations are in Canada.  

For more relatable content, check out these greater flamingo facts and andian flamingo facts for kids.

What type of animal is an Acadian flycatcher?

Acadian flycatchers or Empidonax virescens are small olive colored birds. These North American birds eat several types of insects and are known for their peet sah songs. It is sung by the males of this species, which they use to mark their territory.

What class of animal does an Acadian flycatcher belong to?

Acadian flycatcher Empidonax virescens is a bird falling in the Animalia kingdom. An Acadian flycatcher belongs to the order Passeriformes family Tyrannidae.

How many Acadian flycatchers are there in the world?

The population of Acadian flycatchers' species ranges between 5 and 5.2 million in the world.

Where does an Acadian flycatcher live?

The range or habitat of Acadian flycatchers usually varies from a deciduous forest to a tropical moist forest. Their breeding habitats are primarily located near water bodies like swamps. In the season of non breeding, these birds move to the South American tropical forests.

Their habitats are usually the two continents, North America and South America. The population of these species is reducing in the southern regions. Brown headed cowbirds are often found to be laying their eggs in the well built nests of Acadian flycatchers. The nests of Acadian flycatchers are unique and made of plant fibers. These nests resemble a nest made of a loose cup. These birds build such nests on trees along a horizontal fork.

What is an Acadian flycatcher's habitat?

The habitats of Acadian flycatchers are mostly found along two continents, South America and North America. The range of these birds is from New England in the north to Great Lakes in the south. Specifically, in New England, Acadian flycatchers are pretty commonly seen breeding in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Their habitats are found in mature forests, in countries like Ecuador, Colombia, and eastern parts of Mexico. These birds are known to prefer the forest interiors rather than the forest edges. Their nests can be seen far away from the forest edge, at least 328 ft (100 m) away.

Who do Acadian flycatchers live with?

Acadian flycatchers are solitary birds. They can be seen alone in their natural habitat or range in the forests. This bird species becomes social on certain occasions, like when it is their breeding season (April to August).  

How long does an Acadian flycatcher live?

The lifespan of Acadian flycatchers usually ranges between 10 - 11 years.

How do they reproduce?

These bird species are monogamous. Some male species can turn polygynous. When female birds perch on a branch, the males move around her. They become mature at one year of age. Their breeding season begins in April and continues till August.

These birds have an incubation period of 15 days. Males do not feed the female birds during this time. At the start of April, the female birds search for nesting sites. They usually lay two or four eggs. The female birds can have one or two broods per season. The young ones require care and nurturing from both their parents. The parents stay with their young ones for about 15 days. When the young chicks are independent after these 15 days, the parents fly away from the nest.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of Acadian Flycatchers is listed as Least Concern. The greatest threats to the population of these birds are habitat destruction and loss of trees, which form their habitats. They are most threatened in Canada. A substantial quantity of trees is removed from the forests here, which makes bird conservation in Canada a difficult job.

Similarly, these birds are also threatened in southern parts of Ontario. The regions located in Ontario south are being exposed to rapid loss of forest cover. This is posing a major threat to these birds. The North American birds of this species are more in number while their numbers in the southern part are declining. This is so because the south is facing more habitat destruction.

What do Acadian flycatchers look like?

Wildlife research institutes have given intricate details about the appearance of this bird. Acadian flycatchers or Empidonax virescens are olive colored birds with yellow bellies. Their wing bars are whiteish in color. These species have darker shades on their tails and wings. Their dark colored wings are balanced by pale underparts and gray legs.

How cute are they?

Acadian flycatchers are tiny birds, and they are extremely cute to look at.

How do they communicate?

Acadian flycatchers are diurnal in nature. This bird population is known for its soft songs. The main method of communication of these bird species is through peet sah songs. It is a form of explosive song, which is mainly sung by the male bird. They use this call to demarcate their territory.

How big is an Acadian flycatcher?

The wingspan length of Acadian flycatchers is 9 in (23 cm). The average body length of this bird population range from 5.5-6 in (14-15 cm). This range makes them one sixth the size of an Eagle.

How fast can an Acadian flycatcher fly?

The exact speed of Acadian flycatchers is not known. But they are reported to take high speed flights when they catch insects.

How much does an Acadian flycatcher weigh?

The range of weight of this bird varies between 0.02-0.03 lb (11-14 g). This weight range makes them half the heaviness of a Magpie.

What are their male and female names of the species?

The male and female birds have no separate names. They are known as male Acadian flycatchers and female Acadian flycatchers.

What would you call a baby Acadian flycatcher?

The young one of an Acadian flycatcher is called a chick.

What do they eat?

Acadian flycatchers are carnivores and catch insects on which they feed. Their diet also includes insect larvae, spiders, flies, and even flying ants. Occasionally this bird population is seen to be eating seeds and berries too. These birds wait patiently on any perch on a tree. Then they catch the insects while on the flight. This is called hawking. They also pick out the insects by hovering. This is called gleaning.

Are they dangerous?

No, these birds are not at all dangerous. All they do is perch on trees or feed on insects.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes. Acadian flycatchers will make a good pet. However, you must consider their nesting features and diet before deciding to take it as a pet.

Did you know...

The breeding grounds of Acadian flycatchers are located wide across Ontario (south) or the southern parts of Central America. If we see a range map of North America, then these birds will be seen hovering over Jacksonville and Charlotte in the summers.

This species of birds are known for their excellent ability to fly. A fun fact about these birds is that they can fly even backward. They can hover their ways in the air with extreme ease. An interesting fact about Acadian flycatchers is that their groups are known by many names. These names include zipper or zapper and also outfield.

These birds are migratory in nature. Their breeding season begins in April or May. Before the onset of April month, large flocks of Acadian flycatchers reach the Nearctic areas. A flycatcher Acadian nest is often taken over by other birds. The most common among these are the brown headed cowbirds.

What eats the Acadian flycatcher?

Any predator does not hunt the fully grown Acadian flycatchers. But nest predation often takes place with this bird population. Hawks, owls, American crows most commonly hunt down the juvenile birds and the eggs. Chipmunks and squirrels also feed on the eggs.

How many eggs do flycatchers lay?

The nest of a flycatcher Acadian is made from plant fibers and twigs. It is quite unique with a horizontal fork. This is the reason other similar species of birds lay their eggs on the same nest. These birds lay two to three eggs at a time. The brown headed cowbirds often lay their eggs in the same nest.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these red backed shrike facts and American flamingo facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Acadian Flycatcher coloring pages.

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