Pacific-slope/Cordilleran "Western" flycatcher complex (Empidonax difficilis/occidentalis)

Number of accepted Pacific-slope/Cordilleran complex flycatcher records for Louisiana = 8 as of 25th Report of the LBRC (2022).
See Pacific Slope Flycatcher and Cordilleran Flycatcher accounts for individuals identified to species.  

Accepted Records

One (2015-067) on 22 September 2015, Jefferson: Grand Isle, TNC Landry-LeBlanc Tract; Donna L. Dittmann (ph) and Steven W. Cardiff.

Photo by Donna L. Dittmann

One (2019-084) on 26 January 2019, Plaquemines: Triumph, Morel�s Woods; David P. Muth (ph); report includes link to eBird with additional photos and video (https://ebird.org/checklist/S52073924). Reportedly first found by Mark Meunier. This record was submitted as a Pacific-slope Flycatcher, but diagnostic recordings were not obtained for this individual and it cannot be assumed this represents the same bird as LBRC 2020-034 present at the same location the following winter.

One (2019-041; fprmerly 2020-022) on 7 December 2019-14 February 2020, Plaquemines: Braithwaite subdivision and vicinity of Caernarvon Diversion levee and canal, N29.8582786o, W89.9109936o; James W. Beck (+ audio), Linda Kingsland (ph only), James F. (Jim) Holmes (photo and audio), and David P. Muth (ph). Reportedly found by Robb T. Brumfield and reported (with photos) in eBird to 14 February 2020.



Photo by Linda Kingsland

One (2019-083) on 26 December 2019, Acadia: Primeaux X Wild Turkey roads, SE Crowley; N30.057o, W92.411o; Matthew L. Brady (ph; https://ebird.org/checklist/S62683584). Found by J. V. Remsen (ph; https://ebird.org/checklist/ S62687575).

Photo by Matthew L. Brady

One (2020-088) on 20 September 2020, Orleans: lake levee, Bayou Sauvage NWR; David P. Muth (ph; https:// ebird.org/checklist/S73848223).

Photo by David P. Muth

One (2020-085) on 28 December 2020, Plaquemines: Triumph, between Morel�s Woods and Fort Jackson; Joan Garvey (ph; https://ebird.org/checklist/S78192449).

Photo by Joan Garvey

One (2020-095) on 30 December 2020, St. Tammany: Covington, Rue Petite, N30.459531o, W90.139176 o; Erik I. Johnson (ph; https://ebird.org/checklist/S78295340).

Photo by Erik I. Johnson

One (2020-034) on 7-8 March 2020, Plaquemines: Triumph, Morel�s Woods; Joan Garvey (ph; https://ebird.org/ checklist/S65622758) and David P. Muth (ph). Bird found on 7 March and reported as Pacific-slope/Cordilleran, additional photos at: https://ebird.org/checklist/S65623354. The bird was relocated on 8 March, a voice-recording was obtained (https:// ebird.org/checklist/S65623273), and the record was ultimately submitted as a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. The audio included both vocalizations of the bird as well as playback being used to encourage the bird to vocalize. Only three Members were confident they could tease-out vocalizations made by the bird, and that those vocalizations confirmed Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Other Members were less confident of which vocalizations were the bird versus playback, and whether the bird�s vocalizations represented calls or song phrases. All Members could agree this individual was a Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher.

Unaccepted Records

One in fresh fall plumage (2007-68) on 20 December 2007, Bossier: south Bossier City, Red River NWR, at headquarters unit. Although most Members believed that this flycatcher may have been a member of the Western Flycatcher complex, there were no diagnostic characters provided even for �Western complex.� There are a few accepted records (no accepted sight records) for the state, but none from northern Louisiana.