Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)

Number of accepted Western Flycatcher records for Louisiana = 21 .
In 1989, Western Flycatcher was split into two species, Pacific-slope and Cordilleran flycatchers, only to be merged again into Western Flycatcher in 2023. Some of the records below were accepted as the two split species, while others were accepted only to Pacific-slope/Cordilleran "Western" flycatcher complex. All of these records are now combined as Western Flycatcher.

 

Accepted Records

One immature female (1991-13; formerly 95-03) on 28 Apr. 1991, Cameron: Smith Ridge, approx. 3 mi. NW of Johnsons Bayou School; Mario Cohn-Haft (ph only), Kenneth V. Rosenberg (ph; LSUMZ 152085), David P. Muth (card), and found by Theodore A. Parker III (AB 45(3):458; LOS 141).

One adult male (94-63) on 26 Jan. 1994, Plaquemines: 1/4 mi. SE of Fort Jackson; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 159810) and Donna L. Dittmann (FN 48(2):217).

One immature male (1994-57) from 21-23 Dec. 1994, Acadia: just S of Hwy. 342 on Hwy. 35; Michael J, Musumeche (card), Dave Patton (ph), and Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 159809) (FN 49(2):158; LOS 164; LOS 166).

Photos by Dave Patton

One immature male (95-79) from 28-29 Oct. 1995, Cameron: Garner Ridge, 3 mi. W of Johnsons Bayou School; Peter H. Yaukey, Phillip A. Wallace (ph), and Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 162199) (FN 50(1):68; LOS 169).

One immature male (1995-012; formerly 96-74) from 29 Dec. 1995-4 Jan. 1996, Lafayette: Lafayette, Moore Park; Billy Leonard, Steve Shively, and Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 162330), (FN 50(2):181; LOS 171).

Photos by Paul E. Conover

One (2009-094) on 3 October 2009, Cameron: Johnsons Bayou area; Paul E. Conover (LSUMZ 184921) and Donna L. Dittmann (DLD 9821 only).

Photos by Matthew Pontiff

One (2010-098) on 28 December 2010, Jefferson: Grand Isle, TNC Landry-LeBlanc Tract; Robert C. Dobbs (ph, audio; photo and sonogram). This is the third accepted record.

Photo by Robert C. Dobbs

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 (2015-068) on 20 October 2015, Iberville: 4 mi. N St. Gabriel, 435 Pecan Dr.; Donna L. Dittmann (DLD 10869, ph) and Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ).

One (2015-069) on 20 October 2015-14 January 2016, Iberville: 4 mi. N St. Gabriel, 435 Pecan Dr.; Donna L. Dittmann (DLD 10871, ph) and Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ). This specimen, along with 2015-068 key out as Pacific-slope Flycatcher and, during a Discussion Round, all Members accepted both specimens as such.

Photo of 2015-068 and 2015-069 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 adult male (2020-004) on 12 January 2020, Iberville: 4 mi. N St. Gabriel, 435 Pecan Drive; Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ) and Donna L. Dittmann (DLD 11741, ph).

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.

One banded (2023-053) on 24 September 2023, East Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge, BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp; Erik I. Johnson (ph, banded USFWS 2970-85955).



Photo by Erik I. Johnson

One (2023-075) on 5 November 2023, Plaquemines: Morel’s Woods; Esme Rosen (ph) and David P. Muth (ph).

Photo by David P. Muth

One (2023-105) on 21 December 2023, Plaquemines: Triumph; David P. Muth (ph).

Photo by David P. Muth

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.

One (2013-079) on 17 October 2013, Cameron: Johnsons Bayou, Peveto Woods Sanctuary (ph). Following initial circulations, this record went to Discussion Round as a �Western Flycatcher� because several Members were willing to accept to �complex.� However, after comparison of the three photos with specimens, the Committee was evenly split. Members voting not to accept were not convinced that Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was adequately eliminated from consideration by the photos, description, or described calls.

One (2005-020) on 2 January 2005, Plaquemines: across Hwy. 23 at Fort Jackson (ph). All but one Member believed that the photos showed a Least Flycatcher.

One (2023-070) on 29 October 2023, Cameron: Oak Grove Sanctuary (ph). Most Members felt that Least Flycatcher was not eliminated.