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Class Aves
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Contopus sordidulus—Western Wood Pewee // Empidonax—Empidonax Flycatchers // Sayornis nigricans—Black Phoebe // Sayornis saya—Say's Phoebe

Tyrannidae—Tyrant Flycatchers

The Tyrannidae tends to be set off somewhat from the rest of the Passeriformes. Typically, the flycatchers perch until a flying insect appears, at which time they launch into flight and pick their prey from mid-air.

Contopus sordidulus (Sclater 1859)—Western Wood Pewee

Sites. Late Wisconsin: Stanton's Cave (Rea and Hargrave).

Literature. Rea and Hargrave 1984.

Empidonax sp.—Empidonax Flycatchers

Sites. Late Wisconsin: Stanton's Cave (Rea and Hargrave).

Literature. Rea and Hargrave 1984.

Sayornis nigricans Swainson 1827—Black Phoebe

Sites.

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Stanton's Cave (Rea and Hargrave 1984).

Literature. Rea and Hargrave 1984.

Sayornis saya (Bonaparte 1825)—Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe currently is common in the region, though it tends to avoid heavily forested areas (Ligon 1961).

Sites.

Mid Wisconsin-Holocene: Shelter Cave (Howard and Miller 1933).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Stanton's Cave (Rea and Hargrave 1984).

Literature. Howard and Miller 1933; Rea and Hargrave 1984.

Last Update: 9 Feb 2013