Get Audubon in Your Inbox
Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news.

Adult. Photo: Rick and Nora Bowers/Alamy
Myiodynastes luteiventris
Conservation status | In its limited range in the United States, numbers seem stable or possibly increasing. |
---|---|
Family | Tyrant Flycatchers |
Habitat | Sycamore-walnut canyons. In our area, found mainly in lower parts of canyons in the mountains, where tall sycamores and other trees grow along streams through pine-oak forest. Also locally in sycamores and cottonwoods along streams at lower elevations. In the tropics, found in open woods, groves, and forest edges. |
Forages by watching from a perch, then flying out to capture insects. Usually forages fairly high, perching on a twig within the shady upper levels of a tree. Flies out and hovers while taking an insect from foliage or branches, or may catch insects in mid-air.
3-4. White to pale buff, heavily spotted with reddish brown. Incubation is by female only, 15-16 days. Young: Both parents bring food to nestlings. Age of young at first flight about 16-18 days.
Both parents bring food to nestlings. Age of young at first flight about 16-18 days.
Mostly insects. Diet is not known in detail, but feeds mainly on insects, probably including large caterpillars, beetles, katydids, and others. Also eats some small fruits and berries.
In courtship, male and female perch close together, shaking their heads back and forth and calling in duet. Very aggressive during the nesting season, pairs of Sulphur-bellies may compete for choice cavities with other hole-nesting birds, even Elegant Trogons. Nests mainly in mid-summer in Arizona, most eggs probably hatching in July. Nest site in Arizona is usually in large natural cavity of sycamore, 20-50' above the ground. Female builds nest. If cavity is deep, she fills it most of the way with twigs and bark strips, then builds nest on top of this foundation, mostly of fine leaf stems and pine needles.
Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect this bird’s range in the future.
Zoom in to see how this species’s current range will shift, expand, and contract under increased global temperatures.
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news.
Visit your local Audubon center, join a chapter, or help save birds with your state program.
Membership benefits include one year of Audubon magazine and the latest on birds and their habitats. Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk.
Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives.