The Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens) is a small flycatching bird found in eastern North America. Its range extends from southeastern Canada through the eastern United States as far west as eastern Texas. Understanding the range of this species can help birders know where to look for it and which habitats it prefers.
Breeding Range
The Eastern Wood Pewee breeds in forests across much of eastern North America. Its breeding range extends from:
- Southeastern Canada – including southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island
- Northeastern United States – including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina
- Midwestern United States – including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee
- Southeastern United States – including South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana
- South Central United States – including eastern Texas and Oklahoma
Within this broad range, the Eastern Wood Pewee is found in deciduous and mixed forests, especially those with openings or edges. It prefers forests with tall trees for nesting and foraging perches. Some key forest habitats for breeding pewees include oak-hickory forests, riparian woodlands along streams, mature forests with canopy gaps or clearings, and wooded wetlands.
Wintering Range
The Eastern Wood Pewee migrates to Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean for the winter. Its winter range extends from:
- Mexico – along both the Pacific and Gulf Coasts
- Central America – through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
- Caribbean Islands – including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas
- Northern South America – along the north coasts of Colombia and Venezuela
Within its winter range, the Eastern Wood Pewee occurs in tropical forests, woodlands, plantations, and gardens. It often joins mixed flocks of migratory and resident insect-eating birds.
Migration Route
On migration between its breeding and wintering grounds, the Eastern Wood Pewee occurs throughout the eastern half of North America. It migrates through the Great Plains, following river corridors and other wooded habitats between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains. Key migration routes and stopover habitats include:
- Riparian forests along the Mississippi River and major tributary rivers
- Coastal forests along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts
- Isolated woodlots, shelterbelts, and urban parks providing forest cover
The Eastern Wood Pewee is one of the later spring migrants, arriving on the breeding grounds in May and June. It migrates relatively early in the fall, departing the breeding grounds as early as late July and August. Peak fall migration occurs in September.
Range Map
Here is a map showing the breeding, wintering, and migration ranges of the Eastern Wood Pewee:
Image source: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Key Facts About the Range
Some key facts about the range of the Eastern Wood Pewee include:
- Its breeding range covers over 4 million square miles across eastern North America.
- It winters from southern Mexico through Panama, a distance of over 3,000 miles between breeding and wintering grounds.
- The Appalachian Mountains mark the western boundary of its breeding range.
- In the southeast U.S., its range overlaps and intergrades with the Western Wood Pewee.
- It occupies a narrower range of habitat types than related pewees of the western U.S.
Habitats Within the Range
The Eastern Wood Pewee uses a variety of forested habitats across its broad geographic range, including:
Deciduous Forests
In the eastern U.S., the pewee frequents deciduous forests, especially mature upland oak and oak-hickory forests. Common trees include oaks, hickories, maples, ashes, elms, and birches. The pewee uses the mid-canopy for nesting and hawk catching.
Coniferous and Mixed Forests
In southeastern Canada and the northeastern U.S., the pewee also uses coniferous and mixed forests. These may include pines, hemlocks, firs, and spruces, mixed with deciduous trees. The pewee uses edges and openings.
Riparian Woodlands
The pewee commonly breeds along streams, rivers, and wooded wetlands. Key riparian trees include willows, cottonwoods, sycamores, and silver maples. The linear nature and vegetation structure provides good habitat.
Pine Savannas
In the southeastern coastal plain, the pewee inhabits open pine savannas and flatwoods with scattered broadleaf trees. Frequent fire maintains the open structure preferred by pewees.
Parks and Suburbs
The pewee has adapted to some human landscapes, including parks, gardens, and suburban areas with enough large, mature trees for nesting and foraging perches.
Tropical Forests and Woodlands
On its wintering grounds, the Eastern Wood Pewee uses a variety of tropical forest and woodland types, including rainforests, dry forests, plantations, and gardens. The key requirements are tall trees and openings.
Geographic Variation
The Eastern Wood Pewee shows subtle geographic variation in size and plumage across its widespread range:
- Northern populations average slightly larger in size than southern populations.
- Birds in the northeastern U.S. have darker upperparts and more contrast between the pale wingbars and darker wings.
- Populations in southeastern Canada have duller plumage overall, with less contrast on the wings.
- Birds get smaller and paler toward the southwestern edge of the range in Texas.
Despite these subtle differences across the range, the Eastern Wood Pewee is considered one continuous species without division into subspecies.
Range Changes Over Time
The current range and abundance of the Eastern Wood Pewee has changed over time, particularly in regard to habitat alteration and deforestation:
- Breeding range has contracted from the Midwest where forest clearance has been most extensive.
- Less common now in prairie regions, but regular along river corridors.
- Stable or increasing in eastern regions with forest regrowth over the past century.
- May be expanding northward with climate change and increasing temperatures.
- Also using some man-made habitats like parks and suburbs to supplement natural forests.
Although still widespread and common, the pewee has likely declined in parts of its range where deforestation has reduced suitable breeding habitats. Protection of remaining forest habitats will be important for the continued success of this species.
Conservation Status
Due to its large breeding range and stable total population, the Eastern Wood Pewee has a conservation status of Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List. However, regional declines and habitat threats have led to increased conservation interest and recommendations:
- Listed as a Species of Special Concern in Connecticut.
- Considered a Priority Species in Bird Conservation Regions 28 and 29 which span portions of its eastern breeding range.
- Identified as a Common Bird in Steep Decline by Partners in Flight, indicating loss of >50% of population in some areas.
Ongoing threats to Eastern Wood Pewee populations include habitat loss from development and logging, increased deer browsing pressure, and climate change impacts. Conservation recommendations include protecting large forest blocks, sustainable forestry practices, managing deer, and preserving wintering habitat.
Conclusion
In summary, the Eastern Wood Pewee has a broad breeding range across eastern North America, winters in Central America and northern South America, and migrates through the eastern half of the continent. It inhabits a variety of forested habitats across its range including deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests. The pewee has likely declined regionally in areas with extensive deforestation but remains common overall. Maintaining suitable forest habitats will be key for the continued success of this migratory flycatching bird.