Great Crested Flycatchers famously incorporate shed snake skin into their nest lining — a habit that crosses subspecies and continents.
They're the only common North American flycatcher that nests in cavities; most others build open cup nests.
Their loud 'wheeep' call carries through deciduous forest and is one of the diagnostic summer sounds of the East.
Great Crested Flycatchers will use a 1½" hole box high in a wooded yard. They're not shy about using artificial sites.
Mount the box 8–20 ft up on a tree trunk in mature forest or a wooded yard. Higher is better.
Aerial insects only — no feeders.
Mature deciduous canopy nearby for hunting perches.
European Starlings can displace them; site boxes in true forest, not edge habitat.
Don't seal up old natural cavities in dead trees; flycatchers prefer them over boxes.
A widespread eastern cavity-nesting flycatcher that breeds across the eastern half of North America and winters in the tropics.
Common breeder from Maine and the Great Lakes south through Florida and west to eastern Texas.
Breeds throughout southern Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
Winters from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America.
Mature deciduous and mixed forest, woodland edges, large wooded yards, and orchards. They prefer canopy with cavity-rich old trees.
Long-distance migrant from Central/South America. Like its cousin, it loves to incorporate snake-shed.