Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus Rubinus

The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) name means “head of fire.” 

The Vermilion Flycatcher is one of my favorite birds because I grew up seeing it on my farm in Colombia. It’s always catching flying insects and going back to the same perch.

There are 12 subspecies, and they live from the north-central United States to southern Chile and migrate during the southern winter.

The male presents the female with a treat, a tasty insect, or a glittery butterfly during courtship. It feeds on crickets, bees, and beetles. If they are very large, it hits them against a tree branch to break and soften them.