Qualifies for the list as a Declining Yellow List Species

Photo: © Jeff Nadler, NatureServe

The Olive-sided Flycatcher breeds along forest edges and openings in coniferous forests. Tall trees with snags are a necessary element of its habitat. It breeds as far north as northern and western Alaska and winters as far south as Bolivia. Breeding Bird Survey data indicate the bird is declining throughout its range, with an overall annual decline of 3.9% from 1966 to 1996. The greatest declines are in the areas of its greatest relative abundance, west of the Rocky Mountains. The bird responds well to several types of harvesting in coniferous forests, such as selective overstory removal and removal of trees over 25 cm dbh. In Montana it was more abundant in partial-cut forests where snags of several tree species were left than in unlogged forests. Given these data, one hypothesis is that loss or alteration of habitat on the wintering grounds is responsible for its decline. Evaluation of the status and ecology of the species on its wintering grounds is a top research priority.