Bird field guide · Tyrant Flycatchers

Photographing the Least Flycatcher

How to photograph the Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (May).

12–25 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
Photo: © User:Mdf, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist
12–25 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
9,797
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens400–600 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 18 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally. Small birds demand long lenses and a close approach — a blind or feeder setup helps.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)302 mm443 mm201 mm151 mm
10 m (33 ft)603 mm887 mm402 mm302 mm
15 m (49 ft)905 mm1,330 mm603 mm453 mm
20 m (66 ft)1,207 mm1,773 mm805 mm603 mm
30 m (98 ft)1,810 mm2,660 mm1,207 mm905 mm
50 m (164 ft)3,017 mm4,433 mm2,011 mm1,509 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 3% Jan Feb: 2% Feb Mar: 2% Mar Apr: 5% Apr May: 41% May Jun: 7% Jun Jul: 4% Jul Aug: 13% Aug Sep: 15% Sep Oct: 3% Oct Nov: 2% Nov Dec: 2% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: May.

About the Least Flycatcher#

The least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), (also called chebec, or chebecker, after the sound it makes), is a small insect-eating bird. It is the smallest Empidonax flycatcher in eastern North America.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • They return to the same hunting perch — pre-focus and wait.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
  • Sightings peak in May, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More Tyrant Flycatchers#

Eastern Phoebe Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe Black Phoebe Black PhoebeSayornis nigricans Vermilion Flycatcher Vermilion FlycatcherPyrocephalus rubinus Eastern Kingbird Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus Say's PhoebeSayornis saya Great Kiskadee Great KiskadeePitangus sulphuratus Western Kingbird Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalis Cassin's KingbirdTyrannus vociferans

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Least Flycatcher?

At about 18 cm long, a least flycatcher fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 603 mm, or at 20 m with 1,207 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Least Flycatcher?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Least Flycatcher?

Observations in North America peak in May. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources