# Puerto Rican Flycatcher

Scientific name: Myiarchus antillarum

Bird group: [flycatcher](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/flycatcher)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/216/Puerto-Rican-Flycatcher

## Identification

The Puerto Rican flycatcher (Myiarchus antillarum) is a tyrant flycatcher endemic to the Puerto Rican archipelago and one of the 22 species belonging to the genus Myiarchus of the family Tyrannidae.


## Distribution and habitat

The Puerto Rican Flycatcher is a common endemic species 
in Puerto Rico and the Virgin 
Islands (Oberle 2018, Raffaele 
1989a), a fairly common resident 
in Vieques (Gemmill 2015), and 
rare in Culebra (Raffaele 1989a). 
It is common in wooded habitats 
from mangrove edges, arid scrub, 
coffee plantations, mogotes, 
and montane forests except at 
the higher elevations (Oberle 
2018, Raffaele 1989a). The atlas 
fieldwork yielded a total of 518 
records within 302 hexagons 
or 63 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 302 
hexagons where this species was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
9 percent (27) of the hexagons, 
probable in 21 percent (63), 
and possible in 70 percent 
(210), while it was observed in 
1 percent (2) of the hexagons 
but without evidence of breeding 
(see map and table). Puerto Rican Flycatcher distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones 
in Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

## Breeding

Previously published reports indicate that the Puerto Rican 
Flycatcher nests from February 
to July in tree cavities (Oberle 
2018). Atlas results indicate that 
the breeding season for this 
species extends throughout 
the year, but breeding activity       207Puerto Rican Flycatcher/Juí de Puerto Ricoincreases from March to June, with a peak in May (see chart). 
This seasonal pattern of breeding 
appears to coincide in each of 
the life zones with no evidence 
to suggest breeding times 
differ among the life zones. 
Results show that the Puerto 
Rican Flycatcher breeds in all 
ecological life zones, but most 
breeding activity was reported 
within the subtropical moist, 
subtropical wet, and subtropical 
dry forest life zones (55 percent, 
23, and 21 percent of the 
hexagons, respectively) (see 
table and map). Breeding was 
confirmed in several hexagons located in the interior mountains 
in the west and the southwest 
coast of the island (see map).

## Conservation

Although the Puerto Rican Flycatchers overall population is 
believed to be declining owing 
to a combination of natural and 
anthropogenic habitat loss within 
its distribution range (BirdlLife 
International 2016), this species 
is listed as a species of least 
concern by the IUCN (BirdLife 
International 2016). Locally, this 
species is not listed in any of the 
threatened categories of PRDNER and USFWS. It is unknown 
if Puerto Rican Flycatcher 
populations are limited by cavity 
availability as the fl ycatcher does 
not make its own cavities for 
nesting and hence is dependent 
on abandoned woodpecker 
cavities or cavities resulting from 
natural decay of tree trunks 
and branches. In Puerto Rico, 
the Puerto Rican Flycatcher has 
a protected habitat in land of 
about 13 percent (910 km2) of the total area covered by the 
hexagons where evidence of 
breeding was found for this 
species (7223 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_216_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_216_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.