Vermilion Flycatcher
The Vermilion Flycatcher is unusual among flycatchers in that the sexes are differently colored. The male has a brilliant scarlet crown and underparts, with a dark brown back, wings and tail while the female is similar to the male above but white below with dark streaks. The belly of females and immatures varies from pink to yellow to white. The bright colors of the male have earned it the Mexican name brasita de fuego, "little coal of fire." Despite its brilliant color, the Vermilion Flycatcher is hard to detect in cottonwoods, willows or mesquite, since it hunts from the highest canopy and generally remains well concealed. In sparsely vegetated areas, however, it may descend to the ground after insect prey. Its call is a peet-peet or peet-a-weet and it also has a soft, tinkling flight song.

The Vermilion Flycatcher forages for insects such as bees, grasshoppers and small beetles. It builds its nest on a small, horizontal forked branch usually 8 to 20 feet, but sometimes 40 to 50 feet, above the ground, and usually near a stream or other source of water. It nests in willow, sycamore, mesquite, cottonwood, oak, paloverde, hackberry and other trees and bushes.

The Vermilion Flycatcher breeds from southeastern California east to western Texas and south into the tropics. It winters in the southern part of its breeding range, but wanders as far east as the Gulf Coast. The Vermilion Flycatcher prefers trees and shrubs along rivers and roadsides.
Vermilion Flycatcher Range Map

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