Contopus cooperi
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) is a small to medium sized passerine bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatcher family. It is a migratory species that travels from South America to North America to breed during the summer. It is an agile flyer and mainly consumes flying insects caught in flight. Since 2016, this species has been assessed as being near-threatened globally (IUCN) and threatened in Canada (SRA) due to its declining populations.
The olive-sided flycatcher is a small to medium-sized passerine, smaller than an American robin, but bigger than sparrows. It can be identified by its olive-grey or grey-brownish plumage above with a white mid-breast section and throat. The olive tones on its back and wings are seen mainly in optimal light and when the feathers are freshly moulted. The sides of the breast area are grey and make the bird look like it is wearing a vest. It has a relatively long bill and long wings for its size. Sometimes, some of its head feathers can be raised, which make it look like it has a small crest. Male and female look similar. Olive-sided flycatchers perch in upright positions on top of dead... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bogota | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | Quito | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 3 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Toluca | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Guatemala City | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 7 | Torreón | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 8 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Olive-sided Flycatcher sighting in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, based on 43 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 201st most-seen of the 277 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Olive-sided Flycatcher in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, against under 5% in March–September and November–January, the lowest months. That is one of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary's wettest months, with about 270 mm of rain against 75 mm in April.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Olive-sided 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.
28th of 73
Of the 73 parks where we can rate Olive-sided Flycatcher sightings, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary ranks 28th at under 5%. The best odds are in Glacier National Park (United States, about 30%), Yosemite National Park (United States, about 20%) and Gros Morne National Park (Canada, about 10%).
Same genus: Contopus
The closest relatives of the Olive-sided Flycatcher that you can see in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (genus Contopus, Pewees) are Southern Tropical Pewee (about 10%) and Eastern Wood-Pewee (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Olive-sided Flycatcher is recorded against all the birds logged in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (43 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
