Bird field guide · Tyrant Flycatchers

Photographing the Western Wood-Pewee

How to photograph the Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus): 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
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
Photo: © JerryFriedman, 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
17,709
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: 0% Jan Feb: 0% Feb Mar: 0% Mar Apr: 4% Apr May: 28% May Jun: 19% Jun Jul: 14% Jul Aug: 16% Aug Sep: 15% Sep Oct: 3% Oct Nov: 0% Nov Dec: 0% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: May.

About the Western Wood-Pewee#

The western wood pewee (Contopus sordidulus) is a small tyrant flycatcher. Adults are gray-olive on the upperparts with light underparts, washed with olive on the breast. They have two wing bars and a dark bill with yellow at the base of the lower mandible.

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 Western Wood-Pewee?

At about 18 cm long, a western wood-pewee 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 Western Wood-Pewee?

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

When is the best time to photograph a Western Wood-Pewee?

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