Ash-Throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens

Sightings of the Ash-Throated Flycatcher are not uncommon in much of western USA. These birds breed in desert scrub, riparian woods, brushy fields and open woods from the western United States to central Mexico. They do not require water to drink. They can get their moisture supply from the bugs they eat. Most, if not all, Myiarchus flycatchers nest in cavities. These birds will use old woodpecker nest holes or natural cavities to raise their families.
Science first discovered the Ash-Throated Flycatcher in 1851 when a specimen was collected in Texas. The current scientific thinking about the taxonomy of these birds suggests two subspecies:
- M. c. cinerascens is the race we see in the USA and the Mexican mainland. They spend winters from the southern USA to Central America.
- M. c. pertinax we find on the Baja California peninsula.
I can recall my first meeting with an Ash-Throated Flycatcher in April 2003. I was exploring Hot Springs Mountain in the backcountry highlands of San Diego County. First meetings are special. This one was no exception. 2003 turned out to be an irruption year for this species in the county, and I began meeting them in most places I explored. I even had them visit me at my Poway home. I had my first Texas meeting with these birds at Laguna Atascosa in the spring of 2020, and it felt like I was meeting an old friend from home.
47 Photos

Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: This was my first encounter with the Ash-Throated Flycatcher. Hot Springs Mountain in northeastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:04:20 7:45 |
Location:
Hot Springs Mountain |
Camera Information: |
File Name: A3D20b21-AshThroatedFlycatcher |
© 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: This was my first encouther with the Ash-Throated Flycatcher. Hot Springs Mountain in northeastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:04:20 7:45 |
Location:
Hot Springs Mountain |
Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3D20b19-AshThroatedFlycatcher |
© 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondido, California in San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 10:32 |
Location:
Mule Hill |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X5268-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondido, California in San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 10:36 |
Location:
Mule Hill |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X5293-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Lake Hodges. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:08 10:59 |
Location:
Lake Hodges |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X6814-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Lake Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:07 19:30 |
Location:
Rock Haven (historical) |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/40 |
File Name: JCD3707.AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Ash-throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:31 |
Location:
Pine Grove |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD5220AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2008 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Birds I met while camped at Dos Picos Park in Ramona California USA 2008-06-12. |
Date Taken: 2008:06:12 16:06 |
Location:
Dos Picos Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD6568AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Birds I met while camped at Dos Picos Park in Ramona California USA 2008-06-12. |
Date Taken: 2008:06:12 16:09 |
Location:
Dos Picos Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD6593AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Anza-Borrego State Park. Eastern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:04:26 18:21 |
Location:
Scissors Crossing |
Camera Information: |
File Name: A3D26b24-AshThroatedFlycatcher |
© 2003 Jack Daynes |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Santa Rosa Mountain. Southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:05:13 10:14 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3E13b32-AshThroatedFlycatcher |
© 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Lake Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:07 19:30 |
Location:
Lake Poway |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/40 |
File Name: Cut_JCD3707.AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: San Felipe Creek below Scissors Crossing. Anza Borrego State Park. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:27 9:59 |
Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X5167-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Agua Caliente Park in Northeastern Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:24 8:29 |
Location:
Agua Caliente Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X6794 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Seen near Cottonwood Springs in Joshua Tree National Park. Riverside County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:17 18:19 |
Location:
Cottonwood Spring |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X5630 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Molino Basin Campground on Mount Lemmon. Near Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:26 8:50 |
Location:
Molino Basin |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X7780 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Seen near Cottonwood Springs in Joshua Tree National Park. Riverside County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:19 18:25 |
Location:
Cottonwood Spring |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X7052 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:06:06 15:40 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/40 |
File Name: D3X5503-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Birds seen on my drive through Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:06 13:06 |
Location:
Zion National Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X9367-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Milk Ranch Road, near Cuyamaca Mountain. South of Julian, California. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:15 11:23 |
Location:
Cuyamaca |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X9786-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: I hiked the Canyon Trail at Bosque del Apache on this Wednesday morning in New Mexico and met birds like these Ash-Throated Flycatchers. I must admit some regrets about carrying my heavy camera gear on this long dry trail. It wore me out. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:13 7:44 |
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D506951-Bosque-CanyonTrail |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: On Friday, my friend Jerry and I visited the riparian grove (called a bosque in Spanish) next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque (New Mexico). Ash-Throated Flycatchers were among the birds we met along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:15 12:14 |
Location:
Tingley Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D507842-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: On Friday, my friend Jerry and I visited the riparian grove (called a bosque in Spanish) next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque (New Mexico). Ash-Throated Flycatchers were among the birds we met along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:15 12:15 |
Location:
Tingley Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D507921-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: On Friday, my friend Jerry and I visited the riparian grove (called a bosque in Spanish) next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque (New Mexico). Ash-Throated Flycatchers were among the birds we met along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 9:43 |
Location:
Tingley Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D508382-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: On Friday, my friend Jerry and I visited the riparian grove (called a bosque in Spanish) next to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque (New Mexico). Ash-Throated Flycatchers were among the birds we met along the hiking and biking trails that weave through the Cottonwood and Mulberry trees. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:18 9:43 |
Location:
Tingley Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D508391-TingleyBeach-ABQ |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Driving along the Tularosa River near Apache Creek, New Mexico, I stopped at a likely looking location to look for birds, where I found Ash-Throated Flycatchers hunting their winged insect prey. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:20 12:53 |
Location:
Tularosa River |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D509144-ApacheCreek-NM |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Driving along the Tularosa River near Apache Creek, New Mexico, I stopped at a likely looking location to look for birds, where I found Ash-Throated Flycatchers hunting their winged insect prey. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:20 12:52 |
Location:
Tularosa River |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D509130-ApacheCreek-NM |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Yard bird in Poway, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2003:07:22 7:46 |
Location:
Poway Grove Park |
Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3G22b17-AshThroatedFlycatcher |
© 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: San Diego Natural History Museum's BioBlitz-2010. Torrey Pines State Park. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:05:21 18:03 |
Location:
Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
|
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/7.1, 1/180 |
File Name: JCD7719.AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Molino Basin Campground on Mount Lemon. Near Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:26 8:46 |
Location:
Molino Basin |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X7738 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Goodan Ranch, Sycamore Canyon. Poway, California. San Diego County 2008-07-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:07:22 15:09 |
Location:
Gooden Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/100 |
File Name: jcd8924AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Molino Basin Campground on Mount Lemon. Near Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:26 8:48 |
Location:
Molino Basin |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X7770 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Garnet Queen Creek Crossing on Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:06:06 11:11 |
Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X5100-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Along the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road at the base of the climb over the San Lucia Mountains on the way to Big Sur California. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:17 12:09 |
Location:
Nacimiento-Fergusson Road |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X1442-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Santa Ysabel Preserve West Trail, Santa Ysabel, California. Northeast San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:02 5:44 |
Location:
Santa Ysabel Reserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X8662-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: San Luis Rey Picnic Ground, west of Lake Henshaw in northern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:29 8:40 |
Location:
San Luis Rey River |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X8405-AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: I hiked the Canyon Trail at Bosque del Apache on this Wednesday morning in New Mexico and met birds like these Ash-Throated Flycatchers. I must admit some regrets about carrying my heavy camera gear on this long dry trail. It wore me out. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:13 7:44 |
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D506961-Bosque-CanyonTrail |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Ash-Throated Flycatchers are familiar near my home in southern California. It was fun to meet them in Texas too. This bird turned out to be to only Texas encounter I would have with the species. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:24 10:47 |
Location:
Atascosa NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: AshThoatedFlyCatcher_D505865-Atascosa-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Ash-Throated Flycatchers are familiar near my home in southern California. It was fun to meet them in Texas too. This bird turned out to be to only Texas encounter I would have with the species. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:24 11:49 |
Location:
Atascosa NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: AshThoatedFlyCatcher_D506630-Atascosa-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: As a child of the west, I regularly meet these birds near my Southern California Home. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 9:16 |
Location:
Sheepshead Bird Sanctuary |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/90 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X6136-Sheepshead_SPI |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: As a child of the west, I regularly meet these birds near my Southern California Home. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 9:14 |
Location:
Sheepshead Bird Sanctuary |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/90 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_D5X6106-Sheepshead_SPI |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: I’d met Ash-Throated Flycatchers at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge during my spring visits to Brownsville Texas in 2020 and 2021. This bird in August 2022 was silent, so I’m not 100% sure of its identity. Brown-Crested and Great Crested Flycatchers look very much like the Ash-Throated Flycatcher. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:30 10:00 |
Location:
Laguna Atascosa NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_8506369-LagunaAtascosa |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Vista Grande site. Images from the SDNHM study of the Santa Rosa, San Jacinto Mountains. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:06:04 6:46 |
Location:
Vista Grande |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD9510.AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Cottonwood Wash drains from the north slopes of Mount Graham near Pima Arizona. On this, my 2nd visit, I found newly arrived summer birds, full-time residents, and winter visitors nearing their time to head north. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:08 15:38 |
Location:
Cottonwood Wash |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_ZX98303_CottonwoodWash-Pima-AZ |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Historic Redington Road runs east out of Tucson through some very rugged country. I stopped on the eastern slopes to spend time with the birds and make camp. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:03 8:12 |
Location:
Redington Road |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_ZX97756_RedingtonRoad-Tucson-AZ |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Historic Redington Road runs east out of Tucson through some very rugged country. I stopped on the eastern slopes to spend time with the birds and make camp. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:03 8:12 |
Location:
Redington Road |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_ZX97732_RedingtonRoad-Tucson-AZ |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
Description: Historic Redington Road runs east out of Tucson through some very rugged country. I stopped on the eastern slopes to spend time with the birds and make camp. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:02 13:41 |
Location:
Redington Road |
Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AshThroatedFlycatcher_ZX97231_RedingtonRoad-Tucson-AZ |
© 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

Click map markers to reveal further information