Least Flycatcher
Least FlycatcherLeast FlycatcherLeast Flycatcher

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus

Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Washington

In 3 days <5%

431 Verified sightings at Washington
11,742 In all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Least Flycatcher

The least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) (also called chebec, or chebecker, after the sound it makes) is a small insect-eating bird. It is the smallest Empidonax flycatcher in eastern North America. The closest relative to the least flycatcher was long thought to be the Hammond's flycatcher based on similarities in their songs and appearances. However, mitochondrial DNA analysis has revealed that the least flycatcher diverges significantly from its congeners and does not possess any sister taxa.

The least flycatcher is hard to distinguish from the other birds of its genus. The bird is one of the smallest of the genus Empidonax, measuring 12 to 14 cm in height with a wingspan of 19 to 22 cm and weighing approximately 10.3 g. Its plumage is dull olive-gray on its back and whitish on its belly, notably brighter than the other Empidonax birds. The least flycatcher's wings are lined with two white bars, and white rings contour its eyes. Its beak is short and the lower mandible is yellowish. The juveniles look similar to the adults except that their wing bars are slightly darker, with tawny/olive hues. Because other flycatchers also have those field marks... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:09

Canada · 2025

© Jan Huus · XC1002527 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:30

Mexico · 2024

© Manuel Grosselet · XC940894 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Alarm call0:33

United States · 2020

© Meena Haribal · XC561399 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~50%
2 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
3 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
4 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
5 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
6 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
7 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~20%
8 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
9 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
10 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~10%
11 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~10%
12 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
13 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
14 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
15 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
16 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
17 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
18 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
19 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
20 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
21 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
22 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
23 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
24 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
25 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
26 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
27 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
28 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
29 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
30 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
31 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
33 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
34 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
35 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
37 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
39 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
40 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
41 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
43 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
44 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
45 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
46 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
47 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
48 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
49 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
50 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Calgary 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Toluca 🇲🇽 México
~10%
4 San Antonio 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
6 Edmonton 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
7 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
8 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
9 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
10 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Closest Relatives at Washington

Acadian Flycatcher
LC

Acadian Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Empidonax virescens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Willow Flycatcher
LC

Willow Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Empidonax traillii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
LC

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Empidonax flaviventris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Alder Flycatcher
LC

Alder Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Empidonax alnorum

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Eastern Phoebe
LC

Eastern Phoebe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sayornis phoebe

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Eastern Wood-Pewee
LC

Eastern Wood-Pewee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Contopus virens

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Great Crested Flycatcher
LC

Great Crested Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myiarchus crinitus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Eastern Kingbird
LC

Eastern Kingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
LC

Fork-tailed Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus savana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Olive-sided Flycatcher
LC

Olive-sided Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Contopus cooperi

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Ash-throated Flycatcher
LC

Ash-throated Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myiarchus cinerascens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Northern Cardinal
LC

Northern Cardinal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardinalis cardinalis

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Least Flycatcher in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Least Flycatcher sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 431 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 179th most-seen of the 267 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Least Flycatcher in Washington?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Least Flycatcher in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Least Flycatcher?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Least Flycatcher sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Washington the best place to see a Least Flycatcher?

25th of 30

Of the 30 cities where we can rate Least Flycatcher sightings, Washington ranks 25th at under 5%. The best odds are in Calgary (Canada, about 10%), Chicago (United States, about 10%) and Toluca (México, about 10%).

Where does the Least Flycatcher sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Least Flycatcher is recorded against all the birds logged in Washington (431 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Washington