Brown-crested Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher has surged: up 165% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Brown-crested Flycatcher
The Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus) is a North American member of the Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the aerial insectivores.
- Size
- 4.5–9 in long (12–23 cm) — a small to medium flycatcher (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open airspace over fields, water and towns; nests in cavities, earthen banks or on structures.
- Diet
- Flying insects caught on the wing.
- Range
- Recorded on 119 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 6 states, most concentrated in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts.
- Family
- Tyrannidae · Aerial insectivores
Notable Brown-crested Flycatcher Trends
Brown-crested Flycatcher has surged in surveyed states: up 165% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
Brown-crested Flycatcher Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Brown-crested Flycatcher is projected to rise about 36% by 2029 — from 0.17 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.23 (95% range 0.17–0.28). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±20.7%, with 40% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.21 | 0.16 | 0.27 |
| 2026 | 0.22 | 0.16 | 0.27 |
| 2027 | 0.22 | 0.17 | 0.27 |
| 2028 | 0.22 | 0.17 | 0.28 |
| 2029 | 0.23 | 0.17 | 0.28 |
Where the Brown-crested Flycatcher Is Detected
BBS routes recording Brown-crested Flycatcher, sized by most recent count.
Brown-crested Flycatcher Population Trend by State
| Arizona | +439% | 1970 | 46 |
| California | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Nevada | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| New Mexico | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Texas | +45% | 1969 | 61 |
| Utah | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
Brown-crested Flycatcher Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -84% | 1973 | 4 |
| Edwards Plateau | +121% | 1977 | 5 |
| Oaks and Prairies | +891% | 1972 | 8 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | +203% | 1970 | 33 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | +492% | 1971 | 18 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | +64% | 1986 | 8 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | +23% | 1969 | 28 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | 17× | 1971 | 12 |
Brown-crested Flycatcher Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 165% since 1969. Aerial insectivores have fallen sharply across the continent, a decline widely linked to dwindling insect prey.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.