How to attract ash-throated flycatchers to your yard
Ash-throated Flycatchers respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 13 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. It arrives only to breed in 13, such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and 7 more, so set up before spring arrival.
Plant what ash-throated flycatchers use
These native plants are tied to the Ash-throated Flycatcher in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Shrub | 12 | Red fruit heads hang on through winter. |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Shrub | 11 | Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load. |
| Red-osier dogwood Cornus sericea | Shrub | 11 | White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 11 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
| Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum | Tree | 9 | Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter. |
| Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa | Tree | 5 | Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat. |
| Highbush cranberry Viburnum trilobum | Shrub | 4 | Red fruit persists until late winter when other food is gone. |
| Paper birch Betula papyrifera | Tree | 4 | Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter. |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 4 | Blue fruit on red stems in early fall. |
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 3 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
Your list covers 4 plant layers (shrub, perennial, tree, vine). Layering matters: mixing shrub, perennial, tree, vine gives ash-throated flycatchers food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Insects and spiders, plus some desert fruit.
- Warm months
- Grasshoppers, wasps, caterpillars and spiders
- Cold months
- Mistletoe and saguaro fruit
- At feeders
- None — a nest box in dry scrub is the draw
Feeder style matters as much as food: shallow bird bath (1–2 in deep) is the first choice for this bird. Uses nest boxes, pipes and even mailboxes across the dry West; rarely needs to drink. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cavity, nest box or hollow pipe lined with hair and fur.
The Ash-throated Flycatcher uses nest boxes with a 1 1/2 in entrance, mounted 5–20 ft. Exact box dimensions →
- Clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 15 days
- Nestling period
- 16–17 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around March in Arizona but not until May in Wyoming. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; a summer breeder won't appear until it returns in spring.
Frequently asked
What attracts ash-throated flycatchers to a yard?
Food they actually eat (none — a nest box in dry scrub is the draw), native plants such as Smooth sumac, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cavity, nest box or hollow pipe lined with hair and fur.
What plants attract ash-throated flycatchers?
Across the Ash-throated Flycatcher's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima), Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting ash-throated flycatchers?
Nesting starts around March in Arizona and as late as May in Wyoming. Have cover, water and nest boxes ready a month before.
Sources
- Ash-throated Flycatcher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ash-throated Flycatcher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ash-throated Flycatcher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.