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The is a flycatcher. It ambushes insects that it
hawks on the wing, as they fly by its perch. Pewee sallies from
an ambush perch take place throughout the day. It will return
to these favorite perches where they can be observed.
Flycatchers give
many birders difficulty when trying to identify them. Many of
the flycatchers are similar in characteristics and some can only be
separated reliably by their vocalizations. The Western
Wood-Pewee's song is a harsh, burry "pee-eer," descending
in pitch. The call note is a burry "bzew."
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The Western
Wood-Pewee will quiver its wings when landing but not its tail like
other flycatchers often do. It has a dark grayish overall
plumage on its upper parts and the underparts are paler. The
wings show two thin white wing bars. The bill is dark with some
yellow-orange at the base of the lower mandible. Its feet and
legs are black. It does not have an eye ring.
It is a small
sparrow sized bird measuring 6 inches in length with a wing span of
10 inches and weighs a mere ½ ounce. They are a
Neotropical migrant moving into Utah in the spring with the emergence
of insects. They remain throughout spring and the summer breeding and
nesting season. They are found in riparian woodlands, mixed hardwood
and conifer forests of the mountains throughout Utah.
The Western
Wood-Pewee makes a clapping noise with its bill while chasing and
attacking intruders in a defense of its nest. Pewees are monogamous.
The female builds the nest and incubates 2-4 eggs for 12-13 days.
They young are altricial (born naked, eyes closed and helpless) and
are fed by both parents. The young Pewee’s fledge from the
nest within 14-18 days.
Photo credit:
Paul Higgins
By Bill
Fenimore, owner of the Layton, Wild Bird Center, www.wildbird.com
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