Acadian Flycatcher
Learn to identify the Acadian Flycatcher by ear. Master the "an explosive peet-SAH! from deep shade" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Acadian Flycatcher sounds like
An explosive two-part pit-seet jumps upward, with occasional quick twittering phrases in flight. Both parts sound bright and forceful in leafy woods.
How to tell it apart
Lessons featuring the Acadian Flycatcher
Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Acadian Flycatcher's sounds in these interactive in-app lessons.
Where you'll hear it
A summer bird of eastern North America, nesting in mature broadleaf forests. It winters far to the south in tropical forests from Central America into northern South America.
Shady, mature deciduous woods are its sweet spot, especially ravines, creek bottoms, and damp forest interior. It usually hunts from sheltered perches in the midstory and understory.
It is easiest to find in late spring and summer, when males sing loudly from hidden perches. During migration it turns quieter and harder to pin down.
How to recognize it by sight
This little woodland flycatcher loves to hide in the leaves, then suddenly gives itself away with a sharp, rising PEET-SAH! It looks sleek and olive-green, with a bold white eye-ring and a surprisingly broad, flat bill. In rich eastern forests, the voice is often your first clue.
Similar species
Willow Flycatcher
Acadian has the broader, larger, flatter bill; Willow's bill looks noticeably narrower.
Alder Flycatcher
Acadian again has the broader, larger bill; Alder looks narrower-billed and a bit plainer-faced.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied is smaller and more obviously yellow below; Acadian is whiter-throated and more olive above.
Least Flycatcher
Least is smaller, shorter-billed, and has a squarer head with a tighter, more compact look.