DUSKY FLYCATCHER

Empidonax oberholseri

Status: Rare regular spring migrant west, rare casual west central. Uncommon regular fall migrant west and central.

Documentation: Photographs, measurements: 31 Aug 2000 Oliver Reservoir, Kimball Co (Dinsmore 2000; Dinsmore and Silcock 2001).

Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022).

Gill et al (2022) suggest the name “American Dusky Flycatcher” to distinguish this species “from “dusky flycatchers” in other families”.

Spring: May 11, 13, 13 <<<>>> May 28, 28, 31

Earlier dates are 30 Apr 2018 Keith Co, and 9 May 2001 Kimball Co (Silcock 2001).

Later dates are 8 Jun 2015 Dawes Co, 14 Jun 2019 Sioux Co, and 15 Jun 2013 Scotts Bluff Co (Brogie 2014).

There are 34 accepted Nebraska records as of spring 2023, all since 2000; reports in the last 10 years (2014-2023) suggest this species is a regular spring migrant in the Panhandle. There were seven reports in spring 2024 and two in spring 2025, from 13-31 May, all in the Panhandle. There are three records in the west central (eBird.org, accessed Nov 2023): 30 Apr 2018 Keith Co, and 13 May 2017 and 17 May 2023 Rock Creek SRA, Dundy Co.

It breeds fairly commonly as a disjunct population in the Black Hills of South Dakota (Tallman et al 2002, Drilling et al 2018). The three Jun records cited above (“Later dates”) suggest breeding might not be unexpected on the Pine Ridge.

Fall: Aug 24, 24, 25 <<<>>> Sep 20, 20, 20

Earlier dates are 21 Jul 2023 Oliver Reservoir, Kimball Co, 22 Jul 2024 Lake Ogallala, Keith Co, 9 Aug 2020 (2) at Rock Creek SRA, Dundy Co, and 17 Aug 2024 Kimball Co.

Later dates are 24 Sep 2013 Dawes Co, and 8 Oct 2019 at Lake Ogallala, Keith Co.

About 19 were reported 9 Aug-20 Sep 2020, east to Keith and Dundy Cos.

Mist-netting during the fall of 2000 provided the first tangible evidence that this species is a regular migrant in the Panhandle. Singles were captured, measured, and photographed at Oliver Reservoir 31 Aug, 7 Sep, and 20 Sep (Dinsmore 2000, Dinsmore and Silcock 2001, Jorgensen 2002). During the same fall there were three additional sight records: one “probable” at Oliver Reservoir 2-3 Sep, one at Mud Springs, Morrill Co 11 Sep (Jorgensen 2002), and one at Wind Springs Ranch, Sioux Co 20 Sep (Jorgensen 2002).

A Hatch Year bird was banded and photographed at Chadron SP 24 Sep 2013 (Brogie 2014), and another was banded, measured, and photographed there 10 Sep 2014 (Brogie 2015). One was netted at Oliver Reservoir 24 Aug 2001 and another at Wind Springs Ranch, Sioux Co 25 Aug 2001.

Comments: Out of a total of 138 Dusky Flycatchers banded at Barr Lake, Colorado, only three were banded in spring, 18-20 May, and the remaining 135 in fall, 15 Aug-10 Oct, including only eight adults (latest 26 Sep; Andrews et al 2002). As many as 55% of fall Empidonax flycatchers banded at Barr Lake in eastern Colorado were Dusky Flycatchers (Tony Leukering, personal communication).

Images

Abbreviations

SP: State Park
SRA: State Recreation Area

Literature Cited

Andrews, R., R. Righter, M. Carter, T. Leukering, and A. Banks. 2002. Birds of Barr Lake and Surrounding Areas 1888 through 1999. Ornithological Monograph No. 1. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, Brighton, Colorado, USA.

Brogie, M.A. 2014. 2013 (25th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 82: 131-146.

Brogie, M.A. 2015. 2014 (26th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 83: 125-138.

Dinsmore, S.J. 2000. Mist netting at Oliver State Recreation Area. NBR 68: 177-179.

Dinsmore, S.J., and W.R. Silcock. 2001. First confirmed records of Dusky Flycatcher for Nebraska. NBR 69: 33-35.

Drilling, N.E., E.D Stukel, R.A. Sparks, and B.J. Woiderski. 2018. The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds of South Dakota. SDGFP, Wildlife Division Report 2017-02. South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks, Pierre.

Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2.  http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.

Jorgensen, J.G. 2002. 2002 (sic; =2000). (12th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 70: 84-90.

Silcock, W.R. 2001. Spring Field Report, March to May 2001. NBR 69: 46-79.

Tallman, D.A., Swanson, D.L., and J.S. Palmer. 2002. Birds of South Dakota. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA.

Recommended Citation

Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2025. Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org

Birds of Nebraska – Online

Updated 12 Jun 2025