Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Pronounced (approx.): my-AR-kus krih-NYE-tus
A large woodland flycatcher that watches for insects from high perches.
Three Identification Clues
A gray throat and upper breast contrast with a bright yellow belly.
Rust-colored feathers show in the wings and long tail.
A broad head, sturdy bill, and slightly peaked crown give it a strong profile.
Field Photographs
Showing all 7 photographs.
Beyond the first impression
Plumage & Identification
Look for three areas of color
The gray throat and breast meet a bright yellow belly. Rusty patches in the wings and tail supply a third useful clue, especially when the bird turns or flies. Its broad shoulders, large head, and fairly long tail give a stronger outline than a small pewee. [1]
A crest is not a requirement
The crown may look only slightly peaked. Do not wait for a dramatic tuft before considering this species. Other Myiarchus flycatchers can share similar colors; compare location, voice, and several views rather than relying on a yellow belly alone. [1]
Life history
How This Bird Lives
Where to look
Listen for an emphatic rising whistle along leafy woodland edges, then scan high branches. A bird may call from cover but hunt from an exposed perch. Comparing it with the Eastern Wood-Pewee helps show how flycatchers use different feeding heights. [3]
Food & foraging
Large flying insects are pursued from a perch, but prey is also taken from leaves, bark, and other surfaces. The menu includes moths, beetles, crickets, and spiders as well as fruit. A missed insect can lead to a continued chase rather than an immediate return. [2]
An existing hole becomes a nursery
Both birds inspect cavities, including old woodpecker holes and nest boxes. The female does most or all of the building, sometimes filling a deep cavity with debris before forming the nest above it. [2]
A clutch contains 4–8 eggs. Incubation and the nestling period each last about 13–15 days. Leaving suitable nesting trees where safe preserves opportunities that leafy branches alone cannot provide. Please avoid disturbing an occupied cavity. [2]
Did you know?
A Closer Look at Great Crested Flycatchers
An unusual nest ingredient
Shed snakeskin is often woven into the nest. Birds also collect other thin, crinkly materials. Finding snakeskin in a nest does not necessarily mean a snake occupied it. [3]
Fruit goes down whole
Small fruits are swallowed rather than carefully picked apart. The indigestible pits are later brought back up, sometimes several together. This insect hunter is not restricted to insects. [3]
A familiar nesting neighborhood
Adults may return to the same breeding area in later years. Some pairs reunite and even use the same cavity again, although young birds usually disperse elsewhere. [3]
Sources: [1] Cornell · Identification [2] Cornell · Life history [3] Cornell · Species overview
Range & Sightings
Seasonal Range
View Range Map ↗Recorded Observations
Observation records are not a complete seasonal range map.
iNaturalist observation map ↗