Western Wood-Pewee
Don't let the painting of this songbird turn into a big adventure.
By: Jerry Poindexter
Photography by Glenn Bartley
The Western wood-pewee (Contopus sordidulus) measures between 6 and 6½ inches in length and is very similar to the Eastern wood-pewee. The two species are mostly distinguishable by their songs. The longer wings and narrower wing bars separate them from other flycatchers. The Western wood-pewee may be slightly darker overall with upper parts a grayish olive-green. The Western wood-pewee catches insects by flying in open air spaces, choosing to fly from fairly high and conspicuous perches.
The measurements for the pattern and painting notes were taken from study skins provided by Eastern Washington University.
Read the rest of this article in Wildfowl Carving Magazine's Spring 2013 issue.