Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Great Crested Flycatchers occupy canopies of mature and second-growth forests as well as isolated woodlots. They are especially associated with wooded riparian corridors over 70-100 meters wide (Peterjohn and Rice 1991). They nest in cavities in dead snags and also reside in urban areas with large shade trees in yards, parks and cemeteries.

Code Frequency

Great Crested Flycatchers are easily detected by their recognizable calls and were frequently categorized as territorial by the repeat observation of a calling bird. Pairs were also observed frequently. Breeding confirmations were difficult, as is expected for a cavity nester. Most breeding confirmations were based on observations of fledged young. It is likely that this species bred in the majority of blocks where it was detected.

Distribution

Great Crested Flycatchers are able to inhabit a wide variety of woodland habitats and are widely distributed in Missouri. Only in the less-forested parts of the Mississippi Lowlands were they not found in several adjacent blocks.

Average Number of Birds / 100 stops

Abundance

Great Crested Flycatchers were somewhat more abundant in east central and south central Missouri. They were much less abundant in the Mississippi Lowlands and Big Rivers natural divisions where large agricultural fields provide less nesting habitat.

Phenology

Great Crested Flycatchers begin arriving in Missouri in late April (Robbins and Easterla 1992) with the bulk of individuals appearing in early to mid-May. Although Ehrlich et al. (1988) suggested that Great Crested Flycatchers have only one brood, the late dates recorded during the Atlas Project seem to indicate a second brood.

Notes

Great Crested Flycatchers are rare hosts to Brown-headed Cowbirds (Ehrlich et al. 1988) and there were no records of parasitism recorded during the Atlas Project.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 1,049 (86.9%) of 1,207 blocks

Home|Lists of Illustrations and Tables|Preface|Acknowledgments|Introduction|The Natural Divisions of Missouri|Guide to Species Accounts|Index of Bird Accounts|Appendix A.|Appendix B.|Appendix C.|Appendix D.|Appendix E.|Literature Cited