One of the most striking of all flycatchers, both in its coloration and its courtship behavior; only the male vermilion flycatcher has brilliantly colored plumage. The vermilion flycatcher usually perches quite conspicuously in open areas, frequently dipping its tail up and down. Featured in this picture, the bird is perched on a black alder tree. During the breeding season, the male performs an impressive air show. Raising the crest on his head and fluffing out his feathers, the male flies up, flapping feverishly, to about 30 or more meters in the air, before hovering for a few moments. Then, he descends back down to a perch, all the while repeating his musical song. The vermilion flycatcher has a wide range across South and Central America, the southwestern United States of America, and the Galapagos Islands. This is a digital painting and composite copyrighted by Matthew Schwartz on 8.20.2016. All Spadecaller artwork posted on Imagekind, Facebook, and elsewhere is copyright protected. Permission to copy, appropriate, reclaim, alter, or otherwise distribute, display, or sell is prohibited.