Olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 3

Species Information

Name and classification

Scientific name: 
Contopus cooperi (Nuttall, 1831)
English name: 
Olive-sided Flycatcher
French name:
Moucherolle à côtés olive
Classification:
Class: Aves, Order Passeriformes, Family Tyrannidae

Morphological description

The Olive-sided Flycatcher is a medium-sized songbird, 18-20 cm in length. Its plumage is deep brownish olive-grey above and on sides and flanks, strongly contrasting with the white breast and belly. The wings are dark, with indistinct pale greyish wing bars and white edging to the tertial and inner secondary feathers. White tufts above the wing along the side of the rump are also distinctive, but not always visible. The tail appears relatively short. The bill is stout, with the upper mandible blackish and the lower mandible pale with a dark tip. The sexes are similar in appearance, although males often have longer wing length (male: 103-117 mm, female: 96-109 mm, Pyle 1997). Juvenile flycatchers are similar to adults, except that their upperparts are brownish and the wing-bars and tertial feather edges are buffy.

The Olive-sided Flycatcher is well known for its tendency to conspicuously perch on the top of tall trees or snags while foraging, and for its song--a loud three-note whistle: Quick, THREE BEERS!. This song can be heard from up to a kilometre away. Its characteristic call is a loud, rapid series of piping notes – “pip-pip-pip” or “quick-quick-quick”. The Olive-sided Flycatcher is distinguished from the Eastern (C. virens) and Western (C. sordidulus) wood-pewees by its larger size, stockier build and distinctive plumage.

Genetic description

There is no information on genetic structuring within the Canadian population.

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