Perch Supply
Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus. Small flying insects taken in short sallies.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimus
Scientific name
Empidonax minimus
Length
4.7–5.5 in
Weight
0.3–0.5 oz
Nest
Compact cup in an upright branch fork
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
3–6 eggs
Incubation
13–15 days
Broods
1 per season

Identification

  • Tiny grey-olive flycatcher
  • Bold white eye-ring and two wing bars
  • Short bill and short wings

Voice

A dry, emphatic 'che-BEK', repeated endlessly.

Diet and feeding

Small flying insects taken in short sallies.

What do least flycatchers eat? · Best feeder for least flycatchers

Least Flycatchers by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlaskaSummer breederJune–July
AlbertaSummer breederJune–July
British ColumbiaSummer breederJune–July
ColoradoSummer breederMay–July
ConnecticutSummer breederMay–July
IdahoSummer breederMay–July
IllinoisSummer breederMay–July
IndianaSummer breederMay–July
IowaSummer breederMay–July
KansasSummer breederMay–July
MaineSummer breederJune–July
ManitobaSummer breederJune–July
MassachusettsSummer breederMay–July
MichiganSummer breederMay–July
MinnesotaSummer breederJune–July
MissouriSummer breederMay–July
MontanaSummer breederJune–July
NebraskaSummer breederMay–July
NevadaSummer breederMay–July
New BrunswickSummer breederJune–July
New HampshireSummer breederJune–July
New JerseySummer breederMay–July
New YorkSummer breederMay–July
Newfoundland and LabradorSummer breederJune–July
North DakotaSummer breederJune–July
Northwest TerritoriesSummer breederJune–July
Nova ScotiaSummer breederJune–July
OhioSummer breederMay–July
OklahomaSummer breederMay–July
OntarioSummer breederJune–July
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMay–July
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederJune–July
QuebecSummer breederJune–July
Rhode IslandSummer breederMay–July
SaskatchewanSummer breederJune–July
South DakotaSummer breederMay–July
UtahSummer breederMay–July
VermontSummer breederJune–July
WisconsinSummer breederJune–July
WyomingSummer breederJune–July
YukonSummer breederJune–July

Frequently asked

What do least flycatchers eat?

Small flying insects taken in short sallies. At feeders: none — shady second-growth woods are the draw.

How big is a Least Flycatcher?

4.7–5.5 in long and 0.3–0.5 oz.

Do least flycatchers use birdhouses?

No. Compact cup in an upright branch fork.

Sources

  1. Least Flycatcher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Least Flycatcher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Least Flycatcher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

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.