Date: 11/9/26 10:46 am From: Jerry Tangren via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Vermilion Flycatcher in Snohomish County
However, vermillion flycatchers do have an advantage over other species because they do feed closer to the ground. In winter, the air close to the ground warms more quickly than it does higher up. In other words, the availability of insects is higher closer to the ground.
Unfortunately, as Dennis points out the record indicates this may not be sufficient even in western WA.
The diversity we enjoy in the avian world is in part a product of individuals pushing the envelope, but who says life is fair?
—Jerry Tangren
East Wenatchee
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From: Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf of Dennis Paulson via Tweeters <tweeters...>
Sent: Monday, 09 November 2026 10:21:32
To: Shelf Life Community Story Project <info...>
Cc: Louise <louiserutter1000...>; TWEETERS tweeters <tweeters...>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Vermilion Flycatcher in Snohomish County
“What will it eat” is, sadly, of some significance. Flying insects are rare to absent at low winter temperatures. That’s why we don’t have swallows, swifts, and most flycatchers through the winter.
Except for the first bird found in Washington, which hung around from December to March, the other Vermilion Flycatchers have occurred in late fall and early winter. Seems to me that there are two alternatives: they either turned around and went back south or perished because of lack of flying insects, thus their apparent absence later in the winter.
Unlike Black Phoebes, which are always around water and feed commonly on fish as well as terrestrial arthropods and even the occasional berry, Vermilion is very much adapted to capture flying insects. However, it is known to be able to feed on the ground as well. So, as that first bird showed, they could in theory persist well into the winter.
So why did all those other birds (seven of them, not including the first one or the present one) not be recorded after early or (in one other case) mid winter? Had all the birders who wanted to see them done so, thus no more interest in documenting their presence? More likely, people continued to search for them with no luck.
We do have a lot of questions about those birds that show up primarily in late autumn. The Tropical Kingbird is a much better example, small numbers appearing in Washington every November but rarely if ever extending beyond that. They migrate in the wrong direction, perhaps some directional neurons malfunctioning, but do they ever survive our winters?
It would be good to hear from anyone with additional information or ideas.
Dennis Paulson
Seattle
On Nov 9, 2026, at 7:50 AM, Shelf Life Community Story Project via Tweeters <tweeters...> wrote:
This is my favorite of all birds. In Oaxaca they call them the Pájaro de Suerte (good luck bird). But it sounds like bad luck for this poor thing to have wandered so far north. They're used to frigid nights in the desert but what will it eat?
Jill
On Sun, Nov 8, 2026, 4:45 PM Louise via Tweeters <tweeters...><mailto:<tweeters...>> wrote:
I'm glad you found it, Dennis! It was a very cooperative bird when I found it, right by the slough on the south side of the road, and hard to miss when it was flycatching. The weather has got considerably colder over the last couple of weeks, though, I do wonder how much longer it will fare well there as the insects disappear...
Louise Rutter
Kirkland
On Sun, Nov 8, 2026 at 3:05 PM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters <tweeters...><mailto:<tweeters...>> wrote:
We finally found that elusive little bird yesterday at 2:30 pm. Best time to visit is probably afternoon, when it gets warmer and more insects are flying. It flies up after very tiny ones again and again. Scan all the leafless higher branches of trees and shrubs of all heights along 38th St. SE. Mostly seen at and near where little slough crosses the road.
