Watercolor portrait of Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)

Western Wood-Pewee

Contopus sordidulus
Fairly common Pee-yoo at first light

Learn to identify the Western Wood-Pewee by ear. Master the "peeeer" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“pee-yoo… zrrr-it-it-it”

What the Western Wood-Pewee sounds like

At dawn, the pewee draws out a fuzzy pee-yoo and occasionally breaks the flow with a wavering stutter.

How to tell it apart

Listen for: “peeeer”
Don't confuse with the Eastern Wood-Pewee. Eastern usually gives the classic pee-a-wee song, while Western sounds more like a drawn-out peeer.

Where you'll hear it

Western Wood-Pewees breed across western North America. In fall they migrate south to winter from Panama into northwestern South America.

Look for it in open conifer woods, mixed forests, woodland edges, burned areas, and streamside cottonwoods across the West. It likes open sightlines and a good lookout perch.

They arrive fairly late in spring, often after many other songbirds have already settled in. Summer is the best time to hear their soft, drawn-out song; by early fall, most have slipped south again.

How to recognize it by sight

This slim, understated flycatcher comes alive when it sings from a dead snag or bare branch. Look for a dusky gray chest, faint wingbars, and long wings on a bird that sits upright, then zips out to grab insects in midair.

Similar species

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Looks extremely similar overall.

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Larger and bulkier, with a bigger head and heavier chest pattern.

Western Flycatcher

Smaller and shorter-winged.

Western Wood-Pewee song FAQ

What does a Western Wood-Pewee sound like?
At dawn, the pewee draws out a fuzzy pee-yoo and occasionally breaks the flow with a wavering stutter. Listen for the "peeeer" phrase.
How do I tell a Western Wood-Pewee from an Eastern Wood-Pewee by sound?
Eastern Wood-Pewee: Eastern usually gives the classic pee-a-wee song, while Western sounds more like a drawn-out peeer. Range and voice are often the safest clues.
When is the best time to hear a Western Wood-Pewee?
They arrive fairly late in spring, often after many other songbirds have already settled in. Summer is the best time to hear their soft, drawn-out song; by early fall, most have slipped south again.