Studying threatened Olive-sided Flycatchers in our Peace Region

Two years of population surveys (2018–2019), confirm that the habitat surrounding the Finlay Reach of the Williston Reservoir supports a breeding population of olive-sided flycatchers. In June 2019, 150 surveys at 67 survey stations across three study areas were conducted, and 40 olive-sided flycatchers were detected (33 males and seven females). The timing of the arrival of the species in the study area was identified, with males beginning to arrive in late May and females in early June. It was estimated that 50% of the olive-sided flycatchers detected were resident breeders and not transient migrants, although this may be an underestimate. The focus of the surveys was on locating olive-sided flycatchers utilizing cutblock edge habitat, and coarse-scale habitat assessments were conducted at each survey station. None of the habitat characteristics measured predicted the detection probability of an olive-sided flycatcher; however finer-scale assessments may be necessary to reveal these associations.

More: PEA-F20-W-2973