Galapagos Flycatchers Bird
The Galapagos Flycatchers are exceptionally bold and curious birds. These Flycatchers will stop and perch on your head and approach humans very closely without being frightened. Galapagos Flycatchers are viewed widespread all over the Galapagos Islands, and commonly spotted in the highland areas of the isles.
There are two species of Flycatchers on the Galapagos Isles, the endemic Large-billed Flycatcher and the resident Vermillion Flycatcher. The Vermillion Flycatcher is usually found in the highland areas and the Large-billed Flycatcher is in lower, more dryer arid areas on most islands.
Vermillion Flycatcher
The Vermillion Flycatcher has a short, wide beak, sometimes with hooked tips which are good for catching and holding onto flying insects.
Vermillion Flycatchers are small birds measuring 13 – 14 centimetres (5 – 6 inches) and weighing around 11 – 14 grams (0.39 – 0.49 ounces).
Vermillion Flycatchers are songbirds and can be heard singing a series of chirps followed by a trill – this is often repeated 10 times periodically. Their call is a sharp, long ‘peent’.
The male Vermillion Flycatcher is a beautiful bird with black wings and a bright scarlet plumage. The female Vermillion Flycatcher is not as bright in colour and has a more duller colouration
The breeding male Flycatcher spends about 90 percent of the day perched.
The male Vermilion Flycatcher often seeks to initiate copulation by delivering a butterfly or other showy insect to the female. How romantic!
Large-billed Flycatcher
Whereas the Vermillion Flycatcher is usually found in the highland areas, the Large-billed flycatcher is found in lower, more arid areas on most islands.
The Large-billed Flycatcher is slightly larger with a size measuring 16 – 16.5 centimetres. The Large-billed Flycatcher has a spectacular, but rarely seen, crest. Their appearance is commonly dull brown upper parts, with rufous rump and tail, a whitish throat, with the rest of its under parts ochraceous-orange. The Large-billed Flycatcher has a striking crest which is usually left flat.
Large-billed Flycatchers have an imparting hammerhead shape to their head, but when raised it is a remarkable combination of scarlet, black and blue in the male species and yellow, black and blue in the female species.
This is a female Large-billed Flycatcher.