Olive-sided Flycatcher
The Olive-sided Flycatcher is most often observed as it perches high in the tree tops, giving out an occasional pip-pip call and flying out to capture flying insects. This flycatcher almost always perches on dead branches in an exposed position. While they are generally reclusive and solitary, they will vigorously defend their nesting location from intruders. Olive-sided Flycatchers have shown decreases in population over the last several decades, a pace of decrease which may have increased in the last 20 years. This may be due to loss of habitat in its wintering grounds in South America.

Physical Description
The Olive-sided Flycatcher is a large-billed and heavy-headed bird with deep olive-brown coloring. Dark sides of breast and flanks are separated by white patch down center of breast. White feather tufts protrude from lower back at base of tail; tail broad and prominently notched.

Distribution and Breeding Habitat
The Olive-sided Flycatcher breeds in Alaska, east across Canada to northern New England, and south to mountains of California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and in northern New York and New England. Primarily found in conifer forests, especially near clearings along burned areas, rivers and lakes and wetlands.
Olive-sided Flycatcher Range Map

Diet
The Olive-sided Flycatcher feeds almost exclusively on flying insects, especially bees, wasps, winged ants and items as large as cicadas and large beetles. Analysis of stomach contents of these birds has shown that everything it eats is winged; it takes no caterpillars, spiders or other larvae.

Nesting Behavior
The Olive-sided Flycatcher usually lays 3 brown-spotted buff eggs in a twig nest lined with lichens, mosses and grasses, placed near the end of a branch among the foliage well up in an evergreen tree.

Winter Movement and Dispersal
The Olive-sided Flycatcher primarily winters in South America, with a few in Central America.

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