My vote would be for the beautiful Vermilion Flycatcher.
This small 6” flycatcher is common in much of South America, Central America, and Mexico,
barely reaching the southwestern United States. Its preferred habitat is open grassland or open
woodland near a streamside or pond. This golf course is fortunate to have many pairs that are
year-round residents.
The bright red and brown male is quite often visible as he sits about ten feet above the ground
on an exposed perch as he looks for insects. Females are not nearly as noticeable, with their
gray-brown plumage and salmon-colored underparts. She is often mistaken for a Say’s Phoebe,
a similar looking flycatcher common on the golf course. As with other flycatchers, both sexes of
Vermilion Flycatcher frequently pump their tail downward.
In spring, males perform a complex flight display to attract females. Rising 60-100 feet above
the ground with fluttering wingbeats, the male softly sings a tinkling flight song. If she is
interested, both the male and female look for a nest site in a tree near a stream or pond. They
construct a small nest of twigs and grasses tied together with spiderweb, often camouflaged
with lichen. The female incubates 2-4 eggs for about two weeks, and the nestlings stay in the
nest for another two weeks.
Unfortunately, the 2024-2025 winter season did not produce much rain or snow, so insect
populations and vegetation growth will limit all nesting birds. But “hope springs eternal.” In
mid-spring, keep an eye and ear out for families of Vermilion Flycatchers perched on low
branches and swooping down on the golf course.
Photo credits:
Male Vermilion Flycatcher facing right: courtesy of standard license images of iStock at istockphoto.com.
All other photos taken on SVGC by Karen LeMay
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