Nevada · Summer breeder

Ash-throated Flycatchers in Nevada

When ash-throated flycatchers are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Ash-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascens

Status in Nevada: Summer breeder
Nesting window: April–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–10a
Nest box: 1 1/2 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 5–20 ft

When to expect ash-throated flycatchers in Nevada

Ash-throated Flycatchers are summer residents in Nevada, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent.

Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.

Nesting in Nevada

Across Nevada, ash-throated flycatchers typically nest from April–July. Plan around that window: March for setup, July for clean-out.

Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — ash-throated flycatchers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
Use a 1 1/2 in entrance on a 6 × 6 in floor, mounted 5–20 ft.
Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
Clean out old nests after each brood and again after July.

Native Nevada plants that attract ash-throated flycatchers

Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover ash-throated flycatchers use:

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea · Shrub

White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Golden currant

Ribes aureum · Shrub

Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.

Western serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia · Shrub

Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.

Feeding ash-throated flycatchers through the Nevada year

Top foods: None — a nest box in dry scrub is the draw.
In Nevada's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for ash-throated flycatchers · Best feeder for ash-throated flycatchers

Frequently asked

Are ash-throated flycatchers in Nevada year-round?

No. Ash-throated Flycatchers are summer breeders in Nevada and leave for the winter.

When do ash-throated flycatchers nest in Nevada?

Nesting in Nevada typically runs April–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–7 eggs, incubated for 15 days.

What native plants attract ash-throated flycatchers in Nevada?

Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Golden currant, Western serviceberry are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for ash-throated flycatchers.

What size birdhouse hole do ash-throated flycatchers need?

1 1/2 in, with a floor of 6 × 6 in mounted 5–20 ft.

Ash-throated Flycatchers in other regions

Arizona California Colorado Idaho Montana New Mexico Oklahoma Oregon Texas Utah Washington Wyoming

Other backyard birds in Nevada

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Gambel's Quail California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Verdin Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Western Tanager Hooded Oriole Phainopepla Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Pinyon Jay Clark's Nutcracker Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Band-tailed Pigeon Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Vermilion Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Cactus Wren Greater Roadrunner Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Rock Pigeon

Sources

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.