Great Crested Flycatcher

About the Great Crested Flycatcher

The Great Crested Flycatcher is a large, energetic flycatcher with a bright yellow belly, warm brown back, and a noticeable shaggy crest. Often heard before it is seen, its loud, ringing calls echo through woodlands in spring and summer. It typically perches high in trees, scanning for insects before launching into quick aerial pursuits.

Fun Facts

• Loud and Proud: Its sharp, whistled calls often give away its location long before you spot it.
• Snake Skin Surprise: Great Crested Flycatchers sometimes place shed snake skins in their nest cavities — possibly to deter predators.
• Cavity Nester: They nest in tree cavities, often using old woodpecker holes.
• Perch-and-Sally Hunter: Like many flycatchers, they hunt by watching from a perch, then darting out to catch insects in midair before returning to the same spot.