The Great Crested Flycatcher is a medium-sized insectivorous bird that breeds in eastern North America and migrates to southern North America, Central America, and the Caribbean in winter. Flycatchers are aerial foragers that catch insects on the wing. Attracting them to your yard or garden can be rewarding but takes some planning and effort.
What is the Great Crested Flycatcher?
The Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It is approximately 6.3–7.5 in (16–19 cm) in length with a wingspan of 11.0–13.0 in (28–33 cm) and weighs 0.95–1.41 oz (27–40 g).
Adults have brown upperparts and wing coverts, a yellow belly, gray throat, and olive-gray breast. The most distinguishing feature is the bright reddish-orange tail that is conspicuous in flight. The bill is black, wide, and flat. The great crested flycatcher’s call is a rapid, emphatic “wheep!”
This species breeds in deciduous and mixed forests across eastern North America. Its breeding range extends from southern Canada south to the Gulf Coast and west to the Great Plains. Populations winter in southern Mexico and down into South America.
Great crested flycatchers begin arriving at their breeding grounds in April and May. They nest in tree cavities, nest boxes, and sometimes buildings if natural sites are unavailable. Females lay 4-8 eggs and incubate them for 13-15 days. Both parents feed the young, which fledge in about 16-17 days.
These birds mainly eat insects, which they capture in mid-air or glean from foliage. Prey includes butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and spiders. They also occasionally eat fruits and berries.
Offer Nest Boxes with Appropriate Dimensions
One direct way to attract flycatchers is to put up nest boxes on your property. Great crested flycatchers readily accept nest boxes that mimic natural cavities.
When putting up boxes, look for sites at least 15 feet high with minimal obstructions. Face the entrance hole south or east to avoid prevailing winds and rain. Make sure to include ventilation holes and drainage slits.
The ideal interior dimensions for great crested flycatcher boxes are approximately:
- Depth: 8-12 inches
- Width: 5-6 inches
- Height: 8-15 inches
- Entrance hole diameter: 2 inches
Construct boxes out of untreated wood and place them along habitat edges where flycatchers naturally forage. Having multiple next boxes spaced 30-100 feet apart will increase your chances of occupancy.
Provide Open Flycatching Perches
Great crested flycatchers sally out from an open perch to catch insects in mid-flight. You can provide special flycatching perches to attract them.
Place tall posts or snags around the habitat that allow the birds to scan for flying insects. Space perches 15-30 feet apart along woodland edges or open areas. Excellent perching sites include:
- Wooden posts 5-10 feet high
- Dead trees (snags)
- Large branches positioned horizontally
- Power line poles and fences
Avoid using metal perches, which can get hot and may contain harmful chemicals. Natural wood perches are best.
Offer Berries and Fruit
While flycatchers mainly eat insects, they supplement their diet with berries and fruit when available. You can provide fruit-bearing plants to help attract them.
Good options include native plants like:
- Dogwood
- Viburnum
- Elderberry
- Serviceberry
- Hackberry
- Hawthorn
- Crabapple
- Persimmon
Mulberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, cherry, grapes, and pokeweed also produce fruit that flycatchers will eat. Plant an assortment of berry-producing shrubs and trees to provide a feast.
Choose the Right Landscape Plants
Providing the right habitat is key to attracting great crested flycatchers. They prefer open woodlands, forest edges, hedgerows, and orchards interspersed with clearings.
When landscaping, include a mix of native flowering plants, shrubs, and trees that will attract insect prey. Good options include:
- Oak
- Maple
- Birch
- Beech
- Poplar
- Pine
- Blueberry
- Blackberry
- Dogwood
- Viburnum
- Elderberry
- Coneflower
- Aster
- Milkweed
A mix of deciduous and coniferous trees provides ideal flycatching habitat. Leave some dead snags standing, which offer perching and possibly nesting sites.
Provide a Water Source
Like all birds, flycatchers need a reliable water source for drinking and bathing. A bird bath or small garden pond placed near flycatching perches gives them water access.
Choose a shallow basin-style birdbath and keep the water clean and fresh. Add a few stones or branches in the water for perching. Place it in a quiet location away from disturbance.
Other water sources could include a garden pond, water garden, or backyard stream. Position them close to trees or shrubs to give birds shelter and protection.
Reduce Pesticide Use
Limiting pesticide use in your yard will boost the insect numbers that great crested flycatchers rely on. Eliminate chemical insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which reduce food availability.
Instead, you can control pests using natural organic methods like:
- Beneficial insects
- Organic sprays
- Companion planting
- Hand removal
- Row covers
- Mulching
Avoiding pesticides and encouraging native plants fosters a diverse insect population to sustain breeding flycatchers.
Put Up Signs to Deter Nest Disturbance
Great crested flycatchers can be sensitive to human activity near their nest sites. You can deter disturbance by putting up polite signage.
Place signs on trees or posts 30-50 feet from the nest asking people not to linger near the site. Explain that a sensitive bird is nesting and needs quiet. Give approximate dates they should avoid the area.
Signs increase awareness and remind people to give the nesting birds sufficient space. Just be sure to remove signs after the chicks have fledged and left the area.
Conclusion
Attracting breeding great crested flycatchers relies heavily on providing what they need most – ideal nesting spots and abundant food sources. Focus on offering suitable cavity nest sites, open flycatching perches, preferred fruit and berry plants, and an insect-rich environment.
With some planning and effort, you can turn your yard or garden into a flycatcher haven. The sight of these acrobatic aerialists swooping out to snatch insects on the wing will be a reward for your dedication.
