The flycatcher appears to have suffered significant declines throughout its range, including total loss from some areas where it historically occurred. Breeding distribution of the southwestern willow flycatcher.
Dotted line represents areas where distribution is uncertain.
The southwestern willow flycatcher is one of four distinct races of willow flycatchers that breed in North America. All races breed in shrubby or woodland habitats, usually adjacent to, or near, surface water or saturated soil. In fact, the southwestern willow flycatcher is a riparian obligate, breeding only in riparian vegetation. It prefers tall, dense willows and cottonwood habitat where dense vegetation continues from ground level to the tree canopy. Thus, many areas dominated by tamarisk are not suitable flycatcher habitat.