Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) lives in open woodland edges across Eastern and mid‑western North America. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Great Crested Flycatcher
- A 21-cm bird that lives almost exclusively in treetops, the great crested flycatcher spends its days perched high in the canopy, rarely touching the ground. Measuring 17-21 cm long with a 34 cm wingspan and weighing 27-40 g, its aerial lifestyle shows how specialized some birds are for forest interiors, making canopy health vital for their survival.
- Its dawn song is a three-part whistle, first a low wheerreep, then a higher-pitched whee, followed by a soft churr, sung just before sunrise to signal low stress and attract a mate. This brief, low-volume performance travels only short distances, revealing how the species relies on close-range acoustic cues to maintain pair bonds in dense woods.
- Despite being called a flycatcher, flies make up only a tiny slice of its meals; the bird prefers larger insects like butterflies, moths, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and bees, supplementing with occasional berries. This diet shows its flexibility and the importance of diverse insect populations for feeding success during breeding season.
- Nest construction happens in cavities 2-6 m above the forest floor, with an inner diameter of just 7-9 cm, and the female builds the nest in only 2-4 days using grasses, moss, feathers, fur and even bits of plastic. Such rapid, compact building in narrow spaces highlights the species' reliance on existing holes and the value of preserving mature trees and nest boxes.
- Breeding across most of eastern and mid-western United States and southern Canada, the great crested flycatcher migrates to winter homes in southern Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula, Central America, Florida and the Caribbean.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEastern and mid‑western North America
HabitatOpen woodland edges
DietInsects and spiders
About the Great Crested Flycatcher
In the warm, languid air of North America's woodlands, the Great Crested Flycatcher weaves an intricate dance, its slender form darting with precision through the leafy canopy in pursuit of unsuspecting insects. With a flick of its rusty-hued tail and a burst of melodic song, this agile hunter announces its presence, a whirlwind of energy and charm that belies its relatively small stature. As it flits from branch to branch, its crest aloft and eyes shining bright with curiosity, the Great Crested Flycatcher embodies the very essence of woodland vitality.
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