Western Wood-pewee
Contopus sordidulus
The Pewee's harsh, descending pee-er is a commonly heard daytime call during the breeding season and also is included in its dawn song. The dawn song is almost always sung before sunrise and can continue for many minutes without interuption; the bird in this recording sang continously for more than 10 minutes (American robin in background). (Madera Canyon, Arizona and Custer County, South Dakota).
Habitat: Woods and edges of woods and forests.
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Song is a plaintive, slurred whistle "pee-a-wee" with an occasional downslurred "peeoooh" inserted among the pee-a-wee calls. (Two birds, Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Low to mid level of open deciduous woods.
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
A territorial male sings an emphatic peet-sah (pizza) for the entire the breeding season. Stressed females (e.g. flushed from nest) may also sing peet-sah. (Evangeline Parish, Louisiana)
Habitat: Breeds in mature woodlands, swamps.
Alder Flycatcher
Empidonax alnorum
Song is a buzzy freeBEEr, with the accent on the second syllable. It also makes a shorter rrrEEo. The Alder and Willow Flycatchers were once considered to be one species and appear very similar. They are most easily distinguished by call. (Vilas County, Wisconsin.)
Habitat: Wet brushy areas near swamps and ponds.
Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
Song is a sneezy, forceful fitzbew. It also makes a simple, liquid whit. The Willow and Alder Flycatchers were once considered one species and appear very similar. They are best distinguished by call. (Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Wet brushy areas.
Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus
Song is a simple, repeated chebek. Listen carefully for the rarely heard juicy 'chur' after the second series of chebeks. (Two birds, Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Calls in the lower parts of open woodlands and orchards.
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Empidonax occidentalis
This bird gave his thin ti-seet call over and over, never varying. The bird was foraging at mid-level of the forest in a wooded canyon in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park at the very eastern end of its range.
Habitat: Cool, dry forests at upper elevations, often near streams.
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
The eastern phoebe has two similar songs, the firmly stated 'fee-bee' for which it is named and a 'fee-b-b-bee' which has a roll in the middle and rises at the end. It often alternates the two songs, but also often repeats one song several times. It has other simple calls such as a quiet juicy cheep, which it says relatively infrequently. The phoebe's songs are not learned but are innate. (Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Woods, farms, suburbs, towns. Often nests on houses, barns, bridges.
Great-crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Makes a loud, easily recognized burry preet and a loud wheep. After the young have fledged, a family may be heard calling loudly as it moves through the treetops. (Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands, usually in the upper half of the trees.