Return of Bird of the Week: Cordilleran Flycatcher

WC warned readers that flycatchers of the genus Empidonax were difficult to tell apart. And perhaps the worst case is the Cordilleran Flycatcher, which is pretty much indistinguishable from its cousin, the Pacific Slope Flycatcher. WC doesn’t have any really good images of this species – they are all backlit. But here’s a side-by-side to illustrate the problem. Good luck telling them apart. Which is why everyone but Peter Pyledepends on song and geography. These photos are both from September, so WC relied on geography. Flycatchers don’t sing that much in the autumn. Cordilleran Flycatchers are primarily found in the Rocky Mountains,…