Associated Species: Other species that may use similar habitat components or respond positively to management for the Buff-breasted Flycatcher are: Northern Goshawk (Apache), Strickland’s Woodpecker, Greater Pewee, Western Wood-Pewee, Mexican Jay, Plumbeous Vireo, Hutton’s Vireo, and Grace’s Warbler.

Distribution: Currently, this small flycatcher's breeding range extends from southeastern Arizona south locally and intermittently through the Sierra Madres and adjacent mountain ranges of Mexico with disjunct populations south to central Honduras (AOU 1983, Howell and Webb 1995). The Buff-breasted Flycatcher historically occurred north to central Arizona near Prescott and east to Fort Apache and west-central New Mexico (Hubbard 1970, Phillips and others 1964). Since 1980, it has been documented nesting in the United States only very locally in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Santa Catalina mountains of southeastern Arizona (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Morrison and Martin 1997). Populations in Arizona, northern Sonora and western Chihuahua withdraw south during the winter, otherwise, winter range is basically the same as breeding (AOU 1983, Bowers and Dunning 1994). Some populations may move to adjacent habitats at lower elevation during the winter (Bowers and Dunning 1994).

Ecology: Spring arrival of Buff-breasted Flycatchers in Arizona begins as early as late March, peaking in April, with stragglers through mid-May. As expected, insects make up the diet of this species, which include ants, wasps, true bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, moths, and spiders (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Cottam and Knappen 1939). It captures prey items in flight, using short sallies from tree branches, bushes, or weed stems. Buff-breasted Flycatchers often fly to the ground to take ants and other insects (Bowers and Dunning 1994). Nesting activity in Arizona has been documented from early May (rarely as early as 10 April) through mid-August (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Morrison and Martin 1997). Mean average nest height is 8 m (25 ft) with a range of 2-14 m (7-46 ft) (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Morrison and Martin 1997). In Arizona, most nests are constructed in Apache and Chihuahua pines, with significantly fewer found in ponderosa pine, alligator juniper, Arizona sycamore, Arizona white oak, and Douglas-fir (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Morrison and Martin 1997). Many nests are constructed under overhanging branch or other cover. This may reduce heat lost from the incubating bird at night (Bowers and Dunning 1984), act as rain shelters, and/or deter nest parasitism by cowbirds (Morrison and Martin 1997). Pairs in Arizona continue nesting attempts until successful or until it is too late in season to nest. A few pairs have been noted initiating five nests in one season (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Morrison and Martin 1997). There is usually no second clutch if the first nesting attempt proves to be successful (Bowers and Dunning 1994). Fall migration in Arizona is from mid-August through late September (Bowers and Dunning 1994).

Habitat Requirements: During migration and winter, the Buff-Breasted Flycatcher is sometimes found in lowland riparian habitats. It breeds in wide mountain canyons with open growth of pines and/or oaks, usually with open understory of grasses and small trees or burned forest with patches of living pines (Bowers and Dunning 1994). In Arizona, typical tree species include Chihuahuan, Apache, ponderosa, and southwestern white pines; alligator juniper; pinyon pine; Douglas-fir; Arizona sycamore; and Arizona white and silverleaf oaks. In Arizona, nesting has been documented at elevations that range from 1950-2850 m (6411-9350 ft) (Bent 1942, Bowers and Dunning 1994); down to 600 m (1968 ft) in Honduras (Monroe 1968). Morrison and Martin (1997) describe optimal breeding habitat for Buff-Breasted Flycatchers in Arizona as having a relatively gradual slope (about 10%), and open forest. They define an open forest as having canopy cover 20% above 10 m (33 ft), 20% cover at 5-10 m (16-33 ft), and <10% cover below 5 m (16 ft). Typical canopy species are Apache and Chihuahua pine of medium-age structural stage (trees 30-45 cm; 12-18 in dbh) or older (Morrison and Martin 1997). These forests should have an open understory of oak, with about 80-85 small oaks (10-20 cm; 4-8 in dbh) per hectare (2.5 ac), and oak canopy cover of about 1% at 0-1 m (0-3 ft), about 5% at 1-2 m (3-7 ft), about 15% at 2-5 m (7-16 ft), about 9% at 5-10 m (16-33 ft), and negligible above 10 m (33 ft). Ideally, these forest patches should be >150 m (492 ft) wide, because larger patches of forest tend to promote greater reproductive success and higher probability of occupancy (Morrison and Martin 1997).

Management Issues with Conservation Recommendations

Concerns include breeding habitat loss and modification by recreational development and unregulated livestock grazing. In many areas, fire suppression has created unfavorable breeding conditions through increased density of understory vegetation (Morrison and Martin 1997). Fire suppression has also caused catastrophic fires which have consumed historical breeding locations. Artificially elevated densities of jays near U.S. Forest Service campgrounds increases nest predation of nearby populations of Buff-breasted Flycatchers (Morrison and Martin 1997). It has been suggested that intense birding pressures (e.g. daily visits, tape playing) could be detrimental to the nesting success of local populations in southeastern Arizona (Bowers and Dunning 1994, Morrison and Martin 1997). Information on wintering ecology and status of this species in Mexico and Central America is almost entirely lacking. This may be because high-elevation forests in Mexico have been heavily logged in the past and are presently subject to overgrazing (Bowers and Dunning 1994).

Buff-breasted Flycatcher management issues are listed in italics. Below each issue are the Arizona Partners in Flight Conservation Recommendations.