Pacific Southwest

Title: The status of the Willow and Pacific-slope flycatchers in northwestern California and southern Oregon

Author: Ralph, C. John; Hollinger, K.

Date: 2003

Source: Studies in Avian Biology 26:104-117

Description: The Willow (Empidonax traillii) and Pacific-slope (E. dificilis) flycatchers are generally similar in their morphology and foraging, but differ in their habitat and population dynamics. Through a concentration of constant-effort mist-netting stations, we documented the movements and composition of populations over a relatively large geographical province of southern Oregon and northern California. Although the Pacific-slope Flycatcher is far more common as a breeding species in much of the province, it becomes much less common than the Willow Flycatcher during migration. After breeding, the Willow Flycatcher has a previously undocumented major influx of birds into the province from breeding sites to the north, including both young and adults. By contrast, the Pacific-slope Flycatcher appears to migrate differentially, with adults moving south before the young.

Keywords: California, demography, Empidonax traillii, Empidonax dificilis, Klamath Province, migration, mist-nets, Oregon, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Siskiyou Province, Willow Flycatcher

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Citation

Ralph, C. John; Hollinger, K.   2003.  The status of the Willow and Pacific-slope flycatchers in northwestern California and southern Oregon.   Studies in Avian Biology 26:104-117.