Utah · Summer breeder

Ash-throated Flycatchers in Utah

When ash-throated flycatchers are present in Utah, when they nest, which native Utah plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Ash-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascens

Status in Utah: Summer breeder
Nesting window: April–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–9a
Nest box: 1 1/2 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 5–20 ft

When to expect ash-throated flycatchers in Utah

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

Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.

Nesting in Utah

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

Hot, dry summers.

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 Utah plants that attract ash-throated flycatchers

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

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Virginia creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia · Vine

Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.

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.

Feeding ash-throated flycatchers through the Utah year

Top foods: None — a nest box in dry scrub is the draw.
In Utah'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 Utah year-round?

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

When do ash-throated flycatchers nest in Utah?

Nesting in Utah 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 Utah?

Smooth sumac, Virginia creeper, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak are native plants in Utah 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 Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Oregon Texas Washington Wyoming

Other backyard birds in Utah

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 Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch 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 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 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 Gray Catbird Western Tanager 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 American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark 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.