Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens

Compiled by Lindsey Hernandez
Featured photo: Ash-throated flycatcher, Kramer, Gary/USFWS, Public Domain,

The Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) is a common breeding bird across much of southern and western Texas. However, its presence is less frequent in the northern and western Panhandle. These birds migrate north through Texas from March 8 to early May, with most arriving by late March. Their breeding season lasts from early April to late July.

Identification and Habits

The Ash-throated Flycatcher is a slender bird with a pale yellow belly and light brown tail. Its ashy gray face and peaked crown contribute to its distinctive look. While the bird’s muted colors help it blend into its environment, its vocalizations are often the easiest way to spot it. The Ash-throated Flycatcher has a unique “ka-brick” call that rings out in dry, open woodlands and scrub.

Heading out early in the morning increases your chances of finding one, as these birds are more active in the cooler hours. Like many desert species, they tend to quiet down as the temperature rises. Ash-throated Flycatchers often call from the tops of low trees or shrubs, where they scan their surroundings, occasionally tipping their heads from side to side in curiosity. When searching for them, don’t overlook sparsely vegetated areas—they’re known to frequent deserts with little plant cover.

Close Relatives: The Great-crested Flycatcher

The Ash-throated Flycatcher is often mistaken for the Great-crested Flycatcher, as both birds share similar shape and size. However, there are key differences. The Great-crested Flycatcher has a stronger gray breast and a brighter yellow belly, while the Ash-throated Flycatcher features more muted brown and tan hues on its back and a less pronounced gray coloration. In central Texas, the Ash-throated Flycatcher is relatively rare compared to its more vibrant relative.

Ash-throated Flycatchers, like many desert animals, don’t need to drink water. Instead, they obtain all the moisture they need from their food. Their diet mainly consists of insects, such as spiders, wasps, bees, tree hoppers, stink bugs, moths, caterpillars, and various flies, including larvae. They also supplement their diet with small fruits when available, such as those from cardon, saguaro, and mistletoe.

These birds often forage near the ground and in open habitats. Their hunting strategy involves flying up from a perch to capture insects mid-air or hopping between perches while scanning for prey on leaves and twigs. Ash-throated Flycatchers also exhibit some unique behaviors. Like other Myiarchus flycatchers, they tend to lean forward on their perches, moving their heads up and down, especially when agitated. In hot weather, they seek shade or extend their wings away from their body to cool off.

Ash-throated Flycatchers are secondary cavity nesters. This means they rely on nest holes created by other species, like woodpeckers, or naturally occurring cavities in dead trees. In areas with fewer natural cavities, these birds have adapted to using human-made structures. They will nest in fence posts, metal posts, mailboxes, and even pipes, among other unusual locations. Nests are typically found less than 6 meters (20 feet) above the ground.

The female typically lays 4-5 creamy white to pinkish eggs, which she incubates for 15 days. These eggs resemble those of other flycatchers, including the Brown-crested Flycatcher and the Great-crested Flycatcher. The young birds leave the nest between 13-17 days after hatching, and the parents may raise up to two broods per year in Texas. Ash-throated Flycatchers are occasionally a host to cowbirds, though this is a rare occurrence.

After the breeding season, Ash-throated Flycatchers embark on a unique “molt migration.” They travel to areas in Mexico where insects are abundant, providing them with the necessary resources to grow new feathers. This molt process takes over a month, which is longer compared to some eastern migrants. The abundance of food in Mexico helps the flycatchers regain energy and nutrients while they grow their new plumage.

Sources include: The Helm dictionary of scientific bird names: from aalge to zusii by James A Jobling, Texas Bird Breeding Atlas and Cornell Lab of Orinthology