Empidonax wrightii
Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The American gray flycatcher, American grey flycatcher, or just gray flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) as it is known in North America, is a small, insectivorous passerine in the tyrant flycatcher family. It is common in the arid regions of western North America, especially the Great Basin. From sagebrush steppes to pinyon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forests, this flycatcher forages for insects from shrubs or low tree branches.
The American gray flycatcher is one of the many species in the genus Empidonax. These species are very similar in appearance and behavior, and they are notoriously difficult to differentiate. The best characteristics for distinguishing these species are voice, breeding habitat, and range. The American gray flycatcher, however, can be identified by a unique behavior, its downward tail wag. Other Empidonax species typically exhibit a rapid upward tail flick.
American gray flycatchers are small birds, but larger than most Empidonax flycatchers. A typical adult measures 15 cm (5.9 in) in length, 22 cm (8.7 in) in wingspan, and 12.5 g (0.44 oz) in mass. Adults have pale gray upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with a faint olive tinge... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 8 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 12 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Guadalajara | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Puebla | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Flycatcher sighting in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 101st most-seen of the 141 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Flycatcher in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to July, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gray 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.
10th of 12
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Gray Flycatcher sightings, Joshua Tree National Park ranks 10th at under 5%. The best odds are in Cabo Pulmo National Park (Mexico, about 20%), Guadalupe Mountains National Park (United States, about 10%) and Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gray Flycatcher is recorded against all the birds logged in Joshua Tree National Park (41 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.
