This week, we'll get back to the birds with a common summer resident that isn’t commonly seen.
At least, that’s always been my experience. The great crested flycatcher makes a lot of racket, though, but it stays inconspicuous by hunting mostly high in tree canopies.
Occasionally, I see them fly out to hawk a bug from the air, or drop to the ground to snag a caterpillar, but they are nowhere near as commonly seen as our other area tyrant flycatchers – western kingbird, eastern kingbird and scissor-tailed flycatcher.
I always enjoy seeing (or hearing) these birds when they return from their wintering grounds each spring.
In southwest Oklahoma, this species shares its habitat with the eastern phoebe, another flycatcher species, but the two seem to coexist peacefully. It’s possible that it is due in part because great crested flycatchers usually stay high up in tree canopies, while eastern phoebes hang out on lower branches or other perches nearer to the ground.
Great crested flycatchers prefer perching on dead tree branches.
Appearance
At 7 to 8.5 inches in length, the great crested flycatcher is a fairly large bird.
It has a reddish tail, bright yellow belly, and a light gray chest and face topped with a darker gray crest. And while it could be confused with the more commonly seen western kingbird, the long reddish tail is a dead giveaway.
Habitat
While scissor-tailed flycatchers and both western and eastern kingbirds are most often found in habitat such as prairies, great crested flycatchers prefer open woodlands, edge habitat and even parks, if the trees are to their satisfaction.
Diet
Great crested flycatchers eat insects such as flies, grasshoppers, wasps, moths, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, caterpillars, etc. They will also eat spiders and small fruits and berries.
Range
During the breeding season, the great crested flycatcher can be found over nearly all of Oklahoma, save for the western half of the Panhandle. It is a bird of the American East, from the Plains States to the East Coast. It winters from southern Mexico to northwestern South America.
Nesting
Great crested flycatchers nest in cavities. They prefer natural cavities in dead trees, but will use abandoned woodpecker holes and even nesting boxes if the size is right.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reports that these birds will also nest in hollow posts, pipes, cans and even buckets.
A female will lay four to eight eggs which are incubated for about two weeks. Nestling period is also about two weeks.
Editor’s Note: Randy Mitchell is a freelance writer and photographer. He has been an avid birdwatcher, nature enthusiast and photographer for more than 40 years. Reach him at rnw@usa.com.