Watercolor portrait of Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens
Common Primary Song

Learn to identify the Eastern Wood-Pewee by ear. Master the "a plaintive, whistled pee-a-wee" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“pee-a-WEE…PEET-tuh-wee”

What the Eastern Wood-Pewee sounds like

The Eastern Wood-Pewee is a slender, inconspicuous flycatcher of deciduous and mixed forests. Perched motionlessly on exposed mid-story branches, this bird sallies out to snatch insects on the wing before drifting back to the same or a nearby perch. Its mournful, whistled song is a quintessential sound of summer woodlands across eastern North America.

“a plaintive, whistled pee-a-wee”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A clear, plaintive two-part whistle, the first note descending, the second rising slightly, given repeatedly every few seconds. Often written as “pee-a-WEE…PEET-tuh-wee”.
Don't confuse with:The Eastern Phoebe — phoebe bobs tail frequently

Lessons featuring the Eastern Wood-Pewee

Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Eastern Wood-Pewee's sounds in these interactive in-app lessons.

Park Songposts lesson habitat
Park Songposts
Tier 2 · Around the Block
Empid Escape Room lesson habitat
Empid Escape Room
Tier 6 · After Hours
Start Learning Free

Where you'll hear it

Breeds from southeastern Canada south through the eastern United States. Winters in northern South America, chiefly in the Andean foothills from Colombia to Bolivia.

Open understory and mid-canopy of mature deciduous, mixed, and pine forests; woodland edges, small clearings, and shaded rural groves.

Arrives on breeding grounds late April–May, sings and nests through August, then departs southward August–September. On wintering grounds October–March.

Similar species

Eastern Phoebe

Phoebe bobs tail frequently

Western Wood-Pewee

Range does not overlap broadly (west of Rockies)

Acadian Flycatcher

Shorter primary projection gives shorter-winged look

Eastern Wood-Pewee song FAQ

What does an Eastern Wood-Pewee sound like?
A clear, plaintive two-part whistle, the first note descending, the second rising slightly, given repeatedly every few seconds. Listen for the "a plaintive, whistled pee-a-wee" phrase.
How do I tell an Eastern Wood-Pewee from a Eastern Phoebe by sound?
Eastern Phoebe: Phoebe bobs tail frequently; Lacks crisp wingbars; Song a sharp "fee-BEE" rather than whistled notes.
When is the best time to hear an Eastern Wood-Pewee?
Arrives on breeding grounds late April–May, sings and nests through August, then departs southward August–September. On wintering grounds October–March.