Breeding

June and July are the months in which Flammulated Flycatcchers are in breeding condition (Vega Rivera et al. 2011). This coincides with the beginning of the rainy season and the first peak of insect populations (Lister and Garcia 1992).

Flammulated Flycatcher is an obligate secondary cavity nester, using existing tree cavities (Monterrubio-Ricoa and Escalante-Pliego 2005). Few nests have been reported. One found by Lanyon (1982) was in a shallow cavity; the nest was cup shaped and lined with fine plant fibers and shredded bark, but contained no fur, feathers, or shed reptile skin. A second nest, however, contained fragments of snake skin, as well as fibers of Spanish moss (the primary component), dried leaves, shredded bark, small twigs, and mycelia (fungus hyphae) (Vega Rivera et al. 2011). Measurements for one cavity and nest were as follows: nest cavity entrance was 2.1 m above the ground and was 8.3 cm wide x 18.2 cm in length; the nest cavity was 7.8 cm wide x 15 cm in length; the cavity was in a dead tree with a DBH of 17 cm (Vega Rivera et al. 2011). Another nest cavity entrance was 6 cm wide with an entrance at 90 cm above the ground in a stump (Lanyon 1982).

Eggs of Flammulated Flycatcher resemble those of Myiarchus (Lanyon 1982, Vega Rivera et al. 2011), and are creamy with round brown spots at the wider end that become streaks toward the narrower end (Vega Rivera et al 2011). The clutch size is 3-4 eggs based on the two known nests (Lanyon 1982; Vega Rivera et al. 2011). Egg dimensions are 19.41 x 15.84 mm (n = 1; Vega Rivera et al. 2011). The incubation period has not been documented. Vega Rivera et al. (2011) observed the death of nestling, whose skeleton then remained in the nest. The three remaining nestlings had disappeared from the nest when they were no more than 15 days old, although it is not known if they fledged or if the nest was predated (Vega Rivera et al. 2011).