Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)

Abundance: Uncommon to Very Uncommon (at least 72 records in 17 counties, 5 in Kentucky and 12 in Tennessee).

Status: Summer Resident; sight and sound records.

Regional High Count: 5 (20 June 2007; Cumberland County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Joseph E. Mast; and 7 July 2009; Jackson County, Tennessee, Stephen J. Stedman, Edmund K. LeGrand).

Information on Records: 

Summer 1972 (number unspecified) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Herbert E. Shadowen; Shadowen 1978).

Summer 1973 (number unspecified) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Herbert E. Shadowen; Shadowen 1978).

Summer 1974 (number unspecified) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Herbert E. Shadowen; Shadowen 1978).

Summer 1975 (number unspecified) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Herbert E. Shadowen; Shadowen 1978).

Summer 1976 (number unspecified) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Herbert E. Shadowen; Shadowen 1978).

Summer 1978 (number unspecified) DeKalb County, Tennessee (Herbert E. Shadowen; Shadowen 1978).

12 May 1979 (1) Barren County, Kentucky (Russell Starr; Stamm 1979d).

2-3 June 1979 (1) Wolf River east of Rt. 127, Fentress County, Tennessee (James Campbell, Betty Reid Campbell, Charles P. Nicholson; Nicholson 1981).

29 June 1980 (1) Wolf River east of Rt. 127, Fentress County, Tennessee (fide Charles P. Nicholson; Nicholson 1981).

June 1983 (1) Smoky Junction BBS route, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson; Dubke and Dubke 1983b), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

June 1984 (1) Smoky Junction BBS route, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

June 1985 (2) Smoky Junction BBS route, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

25 May 1986 (2--singing) Celina, Clay County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Damien J. Simbeck; Stedman 1986d, Stedman 1987b).

25 May 1986 (1--singing) Northern Overton County, Tennessee (Robbie C. Hassler, J. David Hassler; Stedman 1986d), tape-recorded.

25 May 1986 (1) Livingston, Overton County, Tennessee (David F. Vogt, Linda Anderson, Betty Worden; Stedman 1986d).

26 May 1986 (3) Southern Fentress County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson; Dubke and Dubke 1986c).

26 May & 22 June 1986 (1--singing) Smith's Bend, Jackson County, Tennessee (David F. Vogt; Stedman 1986d).

June 1987 (1) Smoky Junction BBS route, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

June 1987 (1) Oliver Springs BBS route, Morgan County, Tennessee (James Campbell), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

25 June 1987 (1) Fentress County, Tennessee (Robbie C. Hassler; Stedman 1987e).

June 1988 (2--singing) Near Clarkrange, Fentress County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Knight 1988d).

June 1988 (1) Oliver Springs BBS route, Morgan County, Tennessee (James Campbell), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

June 1988 (number unspecified) Oneida, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson; Knight 1988d).

7 June 1990 (1) Stop 33, Silver Point BBS route, near Temperance Hall, DeKalb County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

8 July 1990 (1) East of Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Mitchell Sturgeon; Stamm and Monroe 1990b).

June 1990 (1) Smoky Junction BBS route, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

12 May 1991 (1--singing) Near Granville, Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).

4 June 1994 (1--singing) Stop 36, Oliver Springs BBS route, pond near intersection Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman), a BBS record.

4 June 1994 (1+) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1994b).

4 June 1995 (1--singing) Pond near intersection Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

3/30 June 1995 (1) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr., C. Gay Hodges, Roseanna M. Denton/Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

June 1995 (1) Smoky Junction BBS route, Scott County, Tennessee (Charles P. Nicholson), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

7 June 1997 (1) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton and Somerset Bird Club members).

6 June 1998 (1) Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton and Somerset Bird Club members).

7 June 1998 (1--singing) Pond near intersection Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

9 June 1999 (1) Bledsoe County, Tennessee (Debbie Shannon, Roi Shannon; Knight 1999c).

4 June 1999 (1--singing) Stop 36, Oliver Springs BBS route, at pond near intersection Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

30 June & 2 July 1999 (1--singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Fekel 1999d).

Early May 2000 (1) McCreary County Airport, McCreary County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman, Lynda M. Mills et al.).

20 May-21 July 2000 (1--singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al.).

4 June 2000 (1) Pond near intersection Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Susan H. Ford, Ivan L. Cordrey, Daniel L. Combs).

11 May-26 June 2001 (1--singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al.), includes a Spring Bird Count record.

8-30 May 2002 (3--2 singing and 1 nonsinging) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Susan H. Ford, Michael P. O'Rourke; Casteel 2002c), includes a Spring Bird Count Record.

14-15 & 22-27 May 2002 (1-4) McCreary County Airport, McCreary County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman, Lynda M. Mills, Thomas B. Mills et al.).

28 May 2002 (1--singing) Rt. 56 just north of Cumberland River, Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

30 May 2002 (1--singing) Oneida, Scott County, Tennessee (Nell Moore unpubl. data).

2 June 2002 (1--singing) Stop 36, Oliver Springs BBS route, pond near intersection Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Knight 2002d), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

10 May-22 June 2003 (1--singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee  (Ginger K. Ensor, Kenneth L. Morgan, Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data), includes a Spring Bird Count record.

24 & 26 May 2003 (1--singing) McCreary County Airport, McCreary County, Kentucky (Lynda M. Mills, Thomas B. Mills, Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

8 May 2004 (1) Little Lick, DBNF, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Scott Marsh, Rhonda Bryant; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2004c), a Spring Bird Count record.

9-25 May 2004 (1--singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al. unpubl. data).

1 July 2004 (1--singing) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data).

22 July 2004 (1) Creelsboro, Russell County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2004d).

16-25 May 2005 (1--singing) Bud Tanner Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast, Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

22 May 2005 (1--singing) Roaring River Recreation Area, Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Winston A. Walden unpubl. data).

5 June 2005 (1--singing) Stop 35, Oliver Springs BBS route, Rt. 62, Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

6 June 2005 (1--singing) Rt. 553 about 2.25 km west of intersection with Rt. 127 in Albany, Clinton County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2005d).

2 July 2005 (1--singing) Creelsboro, Russell County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2005d).

12& 15 May 2006 (1--singing) near Bud Tanner Rd., Mayland, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast photo, Rueben J. Yoder).

13 May 2006 (2) Pulaski County, Kentucky (Scott Marsh unpubl. data), a Spring Bird Count record.

28 May 2006 (2--1 singing and 1 calling) east of Mayland, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast unpubl. data).

24 June 2006 (1--singing) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data).

29 June 2006 (1--singing) White's Bend Rd., Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).

16 July 2006 (1--singing) Oneida, Scott County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Winston A. Walden unpubl. data).

11 August 2006 (4--1 adult, 2 fledged young, 1 unknown) Brodio Rd., Fentress County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

12 May 2007 (2) Pulaski County, Kentucky (Scott Marsh, Rhonda Bryant unpubl. data), a Spring Bird Count record.

31 May-1 June 2007 (1) Joe Tabor Rd. near Drowning Creek, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Kenneth L. Morgan unpubl. data).

3 June 2007 (1--singing) Stop 35 on Oliver Springs BBS, Rt. 62, Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

20 June 2007 (4--2 singing and 2 nonsinging/1--singing) Campbell Farm/Mast Farm, Bud Tanner Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast, Stephen J. Stedman [both sightings] unpubl. data).

24 July 2007 (1) Creelsboro, Russell County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

3 May 2008 (1--singing) Bud Tanner Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast unpubl. data), a Spring Bird Count record.

1 June 2009 (1--singing) Holleman's Bend Rd., Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman), a 2009 UCR Foray record.

12-13 June 2009 (1--singing) Hudson Rd., Clinton County, Kentucky (Douglas A. Downs photo), a 2009 UCR Foray record.

7 July 2009 (5--4 singing and 1 calling) White's Bend Rd., Jackson County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Edmund K. LeGrand).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Spring: 3 May 2008 (1 singing; Cumberland County, Tennessee; Joseph E. Mast).

    Late Fall: 11 August 2006 (family group; Fentress County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman).

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent).  Breeding evidence is difficult to obtain.  An adult carrying nest material (or food for young) was noted by Susan H. Ford and pointed out to Stephen J. Stedman, Ivan L. Cordrey, and Daniel L. Combs 4 June 2000 at the pond near the intersection of Rt. 62 and Flat Fork Rd., Morgan County, Tennessee; on 11 August 2006 a fledged young begging from an adult was witnessed on Brodio Rd., Fentress County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman); these were the first confirmed instances of breeding for the Region.

Habitat: Although usually associated with shallow wetlands dominated by willows (Salix sp.), Willow Flycatchers accept other habitats as well, especially dense, moist second growth in the early stages of succession (Stedman 1987b), where, however, the duration of optimal habitat is often limited by successional processes, as apparently occurred on the north shore of the lake at Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, Tennessee; Willow Flycatchers were first noted at that site in 1999 and were observed there subsequently for five years, after which they were not present; during the six growing seasons involved in this series of annual observations, the height of the vegetation in this habitat increased from an average of 3-4 m in 1999 to an average of 6-7 m in 2005, the latter height perhaps being the upper limit of tolerance in this habitat for Willow Flycatchers.  Exclusion by habitat succession may also have been a factor in the disappearance of Willow Flycatcher from the breeding site used from 1994 to 1998 at the Ano strip mines, Pulaski County, Kentucky, where the dominant vegetation, autumn olive, became "thicker and taller" over the years (R. M. Denton, pers. com.).

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Foray Results: Distribution and abundance based on UCR Foray data are mapped as follows:

• Clinton County Foray--12-14 June 2009
• Jackson County Foray--29 May-1 June 2009
• Pickett County Foray--22-25 May 2009--no data
• DeKalb County Foray--23-26 May 2008--no data
• White County Foray--25-28 May 2007--no data

Remarks: There appears to be an atlas record of this species for Pickett County (Nicholson 1997).  Some Regional records remain unlisted or incomplete above.

Counties with Observations (boldfaced):

To see a map (Figure 1) displaying the data in the table above, click on the boldfaced word in this sentence.

Literature Cited