Great Crested Flycatchers in Pennsylvania
When great crested flycatchers are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
- Nest box
- 1 3/4 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 8–20 ft
When to expect great crested flycatchers in Pennsylvania
Great Crested Flycatchers are summer residents in Pennsylvania, 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; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- 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 Pennsylvania plants that attract great crested flycatchers
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover great crested flycatchers use:
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding great crested flycatchers through the Pennsylvania year
The only eastern flycatcher that nests in cavities — often in boxes, famously lined with shed snakeskin.
- Best foods: .
- In Pennsylvania's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are great crested flycatchers in Pennsylvania year-round?
No. Great Crested Flycatchers are summer breeders in Pennsylvania and leave for the winter.
When do great crested flycatchers nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Pennsylvania 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.
Great Crested Flycatchers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
Sources
- Great Crested Flycatcher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Great Crested Flycatcher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Great Crested Flycatcher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Pennsylvania
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.