Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Greater Pewee

Contopus pertinax

The greater pewee, Contopus pertinax, is a member of the tyrant flycatcher family, a group of passerine birds. It is the largest breeding Contopus flycatcher in the United States, presenting a rather uniform dull gray-brown plumage. Some individuals may exhibit a buff wash on the breast. A very distinct crest and indistinct wingbars are notable features. The bright orange lower mandible is a striking characteristic, aiding in its identification and distinguishing it from the olive-sided flycatcher, particularly in eastern Arizona and west central New Mexico. The greater pewee measures approximately 8 inches in length, with a wingspan of 13 inches, and weighs around 1 ounce.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the greater pewee, look for its sizeable stature among flycatchers and its uniform gray-brown coloration. The bird's distinct crest and the bright orange lower mandible are key identification markers. Its wingbars are not as prominent, which can help differentiate it from similar species.

Habitat

The preferred habitat of the greater pewee is montane pine forests with an oak understory. It can also be found in montane deciduous forests, particularly those with Arizona sycamore, and mixed montane oak-pine forests. The species is more commonly encountered at elevations above 6,500 feet in Arizona and New Mexico, and is considered rare in western Texas.

Distribution

This bird has a range that extends year-round from central and southern Mexico through to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. During the breeding season, it can be found from central Mexico northward to southeast and central Arizona and southwest New Mexico. There are occasional sightings in southern California, southern Nevada, and western Texas.

Behaviour

The greater pewee is known for its preference to perch high in trees, from where it scans for insects. It exhibits sallying behavior, hawking insects from these elevated perches. This species is territorial and defends its nesting grounds with vigor, not hesitating to attack intruders such as hawks, jays, and squirrels.

Song & calls

The song of the greater pewee is a distinctive whistled sequence of five syllables, often transcribed as "deelip deeree! ah" or the more colloquial "jose maria." The initial "deelip" is typically repeated several times before the rest of the song ensues. Additionally, the bird emits "pip" calls, reminiscent of those made by the olive-sided flycatcher.

Breeding

The female greater pewee is responsible for nest construction, which she situates high in a horizontal fork of a conifer. The nest is a compact structure, secured with cobwebs, and crafted from grass and weeds, often adorned with lichen. The interior is lined with fine grasses. She lays a clutch of three to four creamy white eggs, which are sparsely marked or wreathed with browns and olive, each measuring about 0.8 inches.

Diet and Feeding

Insects form the primary component of the greater pewee's diet, although it may also consume berries during the cooler months.

Conservation status

The greater pewee is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of widespread decline.

Greater Pewee Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Greater Pewees on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura

A photo of a Strange-tailed Tyrant (Alectrurus risora) , male

Strange-tailed Tyrant

Alectrurus risora
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.