Watercolor portrait of Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)

What does the Olive-sided Flycatcher call sound like?

Contopus cooperi
Call Uncommon

Play the real Olive-sided Flycatcher call, the "pip-pip-pip", and learn what to listen for.

“pip-pip-pip”

What the Olive-sided Flycatcher call sounds like

A short, crisp pip, sometimes repeated in an even series from a high perch. It is much briefer and plainer than the rolling quick-three-beers song.

“pip-pip-pip”

Birders often file this one under Sharp pip call.

Call vs. song: telling the two apart

The same bird makes both. They sound nothing alike.

The call (this page)

A short, crisp pip, sometimes repeated in an even series from a high perch. It is much briefer and plainer than the rolling quick-three-beers song.

“pip-pip-pip”

The song

Loud, clear, three-syllable whistle with emphasis on last note; delivered repeatedly from exposed treetops.

“quick-three-BEERS!”

Where you'll hear it

Prefers open coniferous and mixed forests with tall snags or dead branches that provide high hunting perches; commonly found around forest edges, clear-cuts, burns, and bogs.

Olive-sided Flycatcher call FAQ

What does an Olive-sided Flycatcher call sound like?
A short, crisp pip, sometimes repeated in an even series from a high perch. It is much briefer and plainer than the rolling quick-three-beers song. Birders write it as "pip-pip-pip".
How do I tell an Olive-sided Flycatcher from an Eastern Wood-Pewee by ear?
Eastern Wood-Pewee: Gives a plaintive pee-a-wee song instead of quick-three-beers.
When is the best time to hear the Olive-sided Flycatcher call?
Breeding in late May–August in North America; southbound migration August–September; austral wintering November–March; northbound migration April–May.

More Olive-sided Flycatcher sounds

Olive-sided Flycatcher: the full species pageEvery sound we have, field marks, habitat and similar species.How to Identify Bird Sounds (By Ear & With Apps)Learning to identify bird sounds is how you stop letting those moments slip by. It is also one of the fastest ways to feel like birds are no longer random background noise but neighbors you actually recognize.How to Learn Bird Calls Fast: A 7-Day Spring PlanYou have seven days. You want seven birds. This is the plan: one new song per day, a mnemonic per bird, ten minutes you steal from your coffee break. Sunday-to-Sunday, you walk outside and a name lands in your head before you have time to think about it.