Range and Habitat in PNW:  Conifer forests, mostly east of the Cascade crest. Range worldwide:  Breeding: Conifer and mixed forests of western North America from Alaska to New Mexico. Winter: Mexico. Similar-looking Species:  All Empidonax flycatchers, especially Dusky and Least. Voice:   Song: Three phrases, presented in random order. Note: "pip". Various calls. Similar-sounding Species: Dusky Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher. Hammond's song has two "harsh, guttural" phrase-types; Dusky only one. Not much attention has been devoted by field guides to distinguishing Least and Hammond's Flycatchers, because they are largely allopatric, but they do have overlapping ranges in the PNW, and Least may be expanding. They appear to be each other's closest relatives. Care should be taken not to mistake the third phrase of the Hammond's song, which is given singly during mid-summer, with the "che-bec" of the Least, which is usually repeated again and again. All Empidonax spp. likely to be confused with Hammond's have "whit" note, different from "pip" of Hammond's.

1.  Advertising Song
hafl01or_dvid200354_0622_0515_song
Recording © Arch McCallum

Comments: . These three phrases are presented in no particular order in the advertising song. Note that two of them have closely-packed vertical traces on the spectrogram. These elements are responsible for the harsh or "guttural" quality of these notes. The third phrase is given alone from mid-summer on, and may be a signal that the male is paired or has a nest. Recorded near Sisters, Oregon, 06/22/2003.
Similar Sounds:The song of the Dusky flycatcher has only one of three phrases with a harsh-sounding element. It also has a higher-frequency phrase not present in the Hammond's song. The third phrase is rather similar to the "Che-bec" phrase of the closely related Least Flycatcher. The second part of the "Che-bec" reaches higher frequencies than the second part of this Hammond's phrase.

2.  "Pip" Note; "Whezee" Call
hafl02_mt_pipwhezee__flathe1_blb9095-68
Recording © BLB

Comments: "Pip" note followed by two "Whezee" calls. Recorded at Flathead Lake, Montana, 06/16/1967. Supplied by Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Ohio State University.
Similar Sounds:Other empids in our area have "Whit" call notes that can be distinguished by ear with some practice.

3.  "K-lear" Call, "Whezee" Calls
hafl03_mt_klearwhezeekww_flathe1_blb9096-39
Recording © BLB

Comments: One "K-lear" call followed by two "Whezee" calls. Recorded at Flathead Lake, Montana, 06/16/1967. Supplied by Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics, Ohio State University.
Similar Sounds: The "K-lear-Whezee" combination is somewhat similar to "Doo-hic" of Dusky Flycatcher. Although readily distinguished, the two may be homologous.

Photographs
Hammond's Flycatcher, long primary projection
© Bob Altman
Primary projection is long in Hammond's Flycatcher. Note that wings extend beyond upper tail coverts.
Hammond's Flycatcher, short bill
© Bob Altman
Note the short bill.
All recordings presented here are the property of the recordists and are used with permission. The name of the recordist appears below each spectrogram.
Spectrograms and webpages are the property of AppliedBioacoustics. © 2004 AppliedBioacoustics.com