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Home/Species/ Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

(Lawrence, 1851)

Ash-throated Flycatcher

G5Secure Found in 133 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105675
Element CodeABPAE43050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyTyrannidae
GenusMyiarchus
Other Common Names
ash-throated flycatcher (EN) Papamoscas Cenizo (ES) Tyran à gorge cendrée (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Constitutes a superspecies with M. nuttingi (AOU 1998).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-07-31
Change Date1996-12-02
Edition Date2023-07-31
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2023)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Ash-throated flycatchers breed across the western United States and the northern two-thirds of Mexico. The winter range extends from southern California to Nicaragua. The population is estimated to be 7.4 million birds. It is declining in some parts of its range but increasing in the northern portion of its range. Threats include declining food insect populations, habitat loss, and climate change.
Range Extent Comments
The breeding range extends from central Mexico north into the United States to southwestern Nebraska and west to southern Washington. The breeding range includes New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, western and eastern Colorado, southern Idaho, southern Wyoming, western Kansas, western Texas, and eastern and coastal Oregon (Cardiff and Ditman 2020, Fink et al. 2022). The breeding range extent is estimated to be over 4,000,000 km².

The non-breeding range extends from central Arizona and southeastern California south along the Pacific Coast of Central America to Nicaragua, including the Baja California Peninsula, and the Gulf Coast from southern Texas to Veracruz, Mexico (Cardiff and Ditman 2020, Fink et al. 2022). The non-breeding range extent is estimated to be approximately 3,000,000 km².
Occurrences Comments
There are hundreds of occurrences rangewide.
Threat Impact Comments
Birds that are aerial insectivores are generally affected by multiple threats including declines in aerial insects, decline in quality of aerial food items, contaminants, habitat loss, and climate change (Spiller and Dettmers 2019).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Desert scrub, pinyon-juniper and oak woodland, chaparral, thorn scrub and riparian woodland; in winter also in open deciduous woodland (AOU 1983). Usually nests in a tree cavity, a hole in a cactus, in an abandoned woodpecker hole or Cactus Wren nest (Harrison 1978).

Reproduction

Clutch size 3-7 (usually 4-5). Incubation by female, about 15 days. Altricial young tended by both parents, leave nest in 16-17 days.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralOld fieldDesert
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5B,N4N
ProvinceRankNative
LouisianaSNAYes
UtahS4BYes
ArizonaS5Yes
KansasS1BYes
OklahomaS2BYes
IdahoS4BYes
New MexicoS5B,S5NYes
AlabamaSNAYes
Navajo NationS5BYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ColoradoS5BYes
WashingtonS2BYes
NevadaS4Yes
WyomingS1BYes
TexasS3BYes
OregonS4BYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
9 - PollutionRestricted (11-30%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluentsRestricted (11-30%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
9.3.3 - Herbicides and pesticidesRestricted (11-30%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh - moderate
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)UnknownHigh - moderate

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Roadless Areas (133)
Arizona (19)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
HellsgateTonto National Forest6,171
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
California (79)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Big RocksLos Padres National Forest11,866
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Black Mtn.Sequoia National Forest15,102
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
Callahan FlowModoc National Forest6,618
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
Circle MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,375
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
CuyamaLos Padres National Forest19,631
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Dobie FlatModoc National Forest15,079
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
La BreaLos Padres National Forest14,031
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
LavasModoc National Forest25,864
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
Mirada PimeLos Padres National Forest13,302
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
Mt. HoffmanModoc National Forest9,780
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
Oat Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,223
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
QuatalLos Padres National Forest7,253
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
San Mateo CanyonCleveland National Forest65
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sawmill - BadlandsLos Padres National Forest51,362
Sespe - FrazierLos Padres National Forest106,910
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Sheep MountainAngeles National Forest21,098
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
South SierraSequoia National Forest8,008
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
SugarloafSan Bernardino National Forest8,206
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
San MiguelSan Juan NF64,263
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
New Mexico (24)
AreaForestAcres
Apache Kid ContiguousCibola National Forest67,542
Arroyo de los FrijolesSanta Fe National Forest5,277
Brushy SpringsGila National Forest5,735
Bull CanyonCarson National Forest11,512
Candian RiverCibola National Forest7,149
Capitan MountainsLincoln National Forest14,069
Chama WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest4,168
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Lower San FranciscoGila National Forest26,460
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Nichols ReservoirSanta Fe National Forest1,518
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
Thompson PeakSanta Fe National Forest33,001
Virgin CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,068
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
Badger CreekMt. Hood National Forest847
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Utah (5)
AreaForestAcres
Capital ReefDixie National Forest763
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
MogotsuDixie National Forest16,762
Moody WashDixie National Forest31,835
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
0401036Ashley National Forest6,309
References (23)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. Balda, R. P., and G. C. Bateman. 1971. Flocking and annual cycle of the piñon jay, <i>Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus</i>. Condor 73:287-302.
  4. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  5. Bureau of Land Management. Life History Summaries.
  6. Droege, S., and J.R. Sauer. 1990. North American Breeding Bird Survey, annual summary, 1989. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Biological Report 90(8). 22 pp.
  7. Hagan, J. M., III, and D. W. Johnston, editors. 1992. Ecology and conservation of neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. xiii + 609 pp.
  8. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  9. Horn, H. S. 1968. The adaptive significance of colonial nesting in the Brewer's Blackbird. Ecology 49:682-694.
  10. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  11. Ligon, J. D. 1971. Late summer-autumnal breeding of the piñon jay in New Mexico. Condor 73:147-153.
  12. Mitchell, W. A. 1988. Songbird nest boxes. Section 5.1.8, US Army Corps of Engineers Wildlife Resources Management Manual. Tech. Rep. EL-88-19. Waterways Expt. Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi. 48 pp.
  13. Moore, W. S., and R. A. Dolbeer. 1989. The use of banding recovery data to estimate dispersal rates and gene flow in avian species: case studies in the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle. Condor 91:242-253.
  14. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  15. Sauer, J.R., and S. Droege. 1992. Geographical patterns in population trends of Neotropical migrants in North America. Pages 26-42 in J.M. Hagan, III, and D.W. Johnston, editors. Ecology and conservation of Neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.
  16. Sibley, D. A. 2000a. The Sibley guide to birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  17. Stiles, F. G. and A. F. Skutch. 1989. A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, USA. 511 pp.
  18. Tarvin, K. A., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1999. Blue Jay (<i>Cyanocitta cristata</i>). No. 469 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 32pp.
  19. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  20. Thompson, F. R., III. 1994. Temporal and spatial patterns of breeding brown-headed cowbirds in the midwestern United States. Auk 111:979-990.
  21. Williams, L. 1952b. Breeding behavior of the Brewer blackbird. Condor 54:3-47.
  22. Willson, M. F. 1966. Breeding ecology of the Yellow-headed Blackbird. Ecological Monographs 36:51-77.
  23. Zook, J. L. 2002. Distribution maps of the birds of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Unpublished.