# Great Crested Flycatcher (*myiarchus crinitus*) The Great Crested Flycatcher is a charismatic, vocal member of the tyrant flycatcher family, well-known for its bold personality and unique nesting habits. Found throughout the deciduous forests of eastern North America during the breeding season, this bird prefers to stay high in the canopy, making its presence known with a loud, ringing 'wheep' call. It is one of the larger flycatchers in its range, easily recognized by its bright lemon-yellow belly and striking rufous tail feathers. What truly captures the imagination of birdwatchers is their bizarre habit of weaving shed snake skins into their nests. This behavior, likely intended to scare off nest predators, showcases their resourcefulness. Highly aerial and fiercely territorial, they are delightful to watch as they perform acrobatic maneuvers to snatch insects out of mid-air. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 14 - **Habitat:** Found in deciduous forests, open woodlands, orchards, and forest edges across eastern North America. ![Great Crested Flycatcher](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/202717991/medium.jpeg) Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago, CC0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/202717991) ## Appearance This medium-sized songbird is distinguished by an olive-brown back, a soft grey throat and breast, and a vibrant lemon-yellow belly. Its wings and tail feature prominent rufous highlights that create a warm, reddish-brown flash of color when in flight. It possesses a bushy crest on its head that it can raise when excited or alarmed, giving it a distinctive, wild-headed appearance. It has a stout, dark bill with a tiny hook at the tip, perfect for capturing prey, and a wingspan reaching up to 36 centimeters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Tyrannidae - **Genus:** Myiarchus ## Interesting facts - They are highly territorial during the nesting season and will chase away much larger animals, including squirrels and other bird species. - This bird is famous for lining its nest with shed snakeskins, but in urban areas, it will readily use clear plastic wrappers or cellophane instead. - Unlike most other North American flycatchers, the Great Crested Flycatcher nest exclusively in cavities, using woodpecker holes or nest boxes. ## Special abilities - **Nest Decorating:** Weaves shed snake skins, onion skins, or plastic trash into its nest cavity to scare off potential predators. - **Sallying flight:** Launches from a high perch to perform tight, acrobatic aerial maneuvers to capture flying insects mid-air before returning to the perch. - **Canopy Sentinel:** Employs a loud, piercing call that carries through dense tree lines to announce territories and warn of predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-21 cm - **Wingspan:** 31-36 cm - **Weight:** 0.027-0.04 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-8 - **Incubation:** 13-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding Primarily feeds on flying insects caught in mid-air, supplemented by spiders, beetles, and occasionally small fruits or berries. - **Age differences:** Nestlings are fed soft-bodied insects and caterpillars, while adults eat a wider variety of harder-shelled insects and berries. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Caterpillars, Cicadas, Butterflies, Berries - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Competitor:** [European Starling](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-starling) (*Sturnus vulgaris*) — Competes aggressively for nesting cavities in mature woodlands. - **Eaten by:** Black Ratsnake (*Pantherophis obsoletus*) — Preys upon the eggs and nestlings in tree cavities. - **Eaten by:** [Broad-winged Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broad-winged-hawk) (*Buteo platypterus*) — Preys upon adult flycatchers during the breeding season. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great Crested Flycatcher? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Great Crested Flycatcher? 17-21 cm ### What is Great Crested Flycatcher's wingspan? 31-36 cm ### How much does Great Crested Flycatcher weigh? 0.027-0.04 kg ### How long does Great Crested Flycatcher live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Great Crested Flycatcher move? 35 km/h ### What does Great Crested Flycatcher eat? Primarily feeds on flying insects caught in mid-air, supplemented by spiders, beetles, and occasionally small fruits or berries. ### Where is Great Crested Flycatcher usually found? Found in deciduous forests, open woodlands, orchards, and forest edges across eastern North America. ## Where to spot - [Batesville East Main Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batesville-east-main-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Chilocco Indian Agricultural School](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chilocco-indian-agricultural-school) — Oklahoma, US · Campus - [Columbia Historic District I](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-historic-district-i) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord-monument-square-lexington-road-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Fort Monroe National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-monroe-national-monument) — Virginia, US · National Park [View all places to see Great Crested Flycatcher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/great-crested-flycatcher) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Great Crested Flycatcher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-crested-flycatcher)