Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens
Flycatcher family (Tyrannidae)

Medium-sized flycatcher, 5 ¼” long. Grayish olive back, two white wing bars, whitish throat, grayish chest, whitish belly. Sits in upright position typical of flycatchers. Does not flick wings or wag tail.

Habitat:
Deciduous forests

Nesting:
Nest usually located on a dead limb in a living tree, far from the trunk, 10 to 60 feet above the ground. Nest is covered with lichens, inconspicuous, looks like a knot on a branch. Eggs are creamy white with darker marks at one end. Clutch size – 2 to 4 eggs.

Voice:

Song is like its name – a distinctive whistled “pee-ah-wee” or a shorter two-syllable “pee-oo”. 

Name Origin:

Contopus:  kontos, Greek for “short”; pous, Greek for “foot”, for their small feet; virens, Latin for “greenish”

In the Nature Park:
Neotropical migrant, arrives by early May. Common in the upland forests of the Nature Park. Distinct song is easily heard and recognized. About the same size as Acadian Flycatchers but the Eastern Wood-Pewee tends to forage quietly, usually perching on dead limbs of trees whereas the Acadian Flycatcher tends to vocalize (albeit softly) while foraging and usually perches on live limbs. The Eastern Wood-Pewee is more brownish whereas the Acadian Flycatcher is more greenish.

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