New York · Summer breeder

Great Crested Flycatchers in New York

When great crested flycatchers are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitus

Status in New York: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–7b
Nest box: 1 3/4 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 8–20 ft

When to expect great crested flycatchers in New York

Great Crested Flycatchers are summer residents in New York, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on beetles, moths and katydids.

Humid continental, from cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.

Nesting in New York

Across New York, great crested flycatchers typically nest from May–July. Nest site: tree cavity or nest box. Females lay 4–8 eggs, incubate for 13–15 days, and young leave the nest after 13–21 days.

Warm summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — great crested flycatchers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
Use a 1 3/4 in entrance on a 6 × 6 in floor, mounted 8–20 ft.
Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
Clean out old nests after each brood and again after July.

Native New York plants that attract great crested flycatchers

Of the regional native plants we track for New York, these 8 provide food or cover great crested flycatchers use:

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and insect cover.

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus · Tree

Seeds and year-round shelter.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Feeding great crested flycatchers through the New York year

The only eastern flycatcher that nests in cavities — often in boxes, famously lined with shed snakeskin.

Best foods: .
In New York's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for great crested flycatchers

Frequently asked

Are great crested flycatchers in New York year-round?

No. Great Crested Flycatchers are summer breeders in New York and leave for the winter.

When do great crested flycatchers nest in New York?

Nesting in New York typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 4–8 eggs, incubated for 13–15 days.

What native plants attract great crested flycatchers in New York?

Arrowwood viburnum, Eastern white pine, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in New York that provide food or cover for great crested flycatchers.

What size birdhouse hole do great crested flycatchers need?

1 3/4 in, with a floor of 6 × 6 in mounted 8–20 ft.

Other backyard birds in New York

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Fox Sparrow

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.