Perch Supply
Nest box specification

Great Crested Flycatcher house dimensions

The Great Crested Flycatcher nests in tree cavity or nest box A box built to its measurements — and no bigger — is what makes it choose yours.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitus

The specifications

Entrance hole
1 3/4 in
Floor (inside)
6 × 6 in
Mounting height
8–20 ft
Bird size
6.7–8.3 in, 0.9–1.4 oz
Clutch
4–8 eggs
Incubation
13–15 days
Time in nest
13–21 days
Broods
1 per season

Build and mounting checklist

  • Drill the entrance to exactly 1 3/4 in — oversized holes let in European Starlings and larger predators.
  • No outside perch: cavity nesters don't need one, and it helps House Sparrows and predators.
  • Unpainted interior, 3/4-inch untreated wood (cedar or pine) or poly-lumber for insulation.
  • Drainage holes in the floor corners and ventilation gaps under the roof.
  • A side or front panel that opens so you can monitor and clean the box.
  • Rough or grooved inner front wall so nestlings can climb out.
  • Pole mount with a stovepipe or cone baffle to stop snakes, raccoons and cats.

When to put up a Great Crested Flycatcher box, by state

Boxes should be up and clean a month before local nesting starts. Dates shift with latitude:

PlaceUp byNestingClean out
AlabamaMarchApril–JulyAugust
FloridaMarchApril–JulyAugust
GeorgiaMarchApril–JulyAugust
LouisianaMarchApril–JulyAugust
MississippiMarchApril–JulyAugust
South CarolinaMarchApril–JulyAugust
TexasMarchApril–JulyAugust
ArkansasAprilMay–JulyAugust
ConnecticutAprilMay–JulyAugust
DelawareAprilMay–JulyAugust
IllinoisAprilMay–JulyAugust
IndianaAprilMay–JulyAugust
IowaAprilMay–JulyAugust
KansasAprilMay–JulyAugust
KentuckyAprilMay–JulyAugust
MarylandAprilMay–JulyAugust
MassachusettsAprilMay–JulyAugust
MichiganAprilMay–JulyAugust
MissouriAprilMay–JulyAugust
NebraskaAprilMay–JulyAugust
New JerseyAprilMay–JulyAugust
New YorkAprilMay–JulyAugust
North CarolinaAprilMay–JulyAugust
OhioAprilMay–JulyAugust
OklahomaAprilMay–JulyAugust
PennsylvaniaAprilMay–JulyAugust
Rhode IslandAprilMay–JulyAugust
South DakotaAprilMay–JulyAugust
TennesseeAprilMay–JulyAugust
VirginiaAprilMay–JulyAugust
West VirginiaAprilMay–JulyAugust
AlbertaMayJune–JulyAugust
MaineMayJune–JulyAugust
ManitobaMayJune–JulyAugust
MinnesotaMayJune–JulyAugust
New BrunswickMayJune–JulyAugust
New HampshireMayJune–JulyAugust
North DakotaMayJune–JulyAugust
OntarioMayJune–JulyAugust
QuebecMayJune–JulyAugust
SaskatchewanMayJune–JulyAugust
VermontMayJune–JulyAugust
WisconsinMayJune–JulyAugust

Full Great Crested Flycatcher species guide →

Frequently asked

What size hole does a Great Crested Flycatcher need?

1 3/4 in. A hole cut to this size admits the Great Crested Flycatcher (6.7–8.3 in) while keeping out larger competitors.

How big should a Great Crested Flycatcher house be inside?

A floor of 6 × 6 in. The Great Crested Flycatcher lays 4–8 eggs, so the floor has to hold the full clutch plus growing nestlings.

How high should I mount a Great Crested Flycatcher box?

8–20 ft. Mount on a pole with a predator baffle where possible rather than a tree or fence.

How long does a Great Crested Flycatcher use the box?

Incubation takes 13–15 days and the young stay in the nest 13–21 days. Broods per year: 1 per season.

Sources

  1. Great Crested Flycatcher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Great Crested Flycatcher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Great Crested Flycatcher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab

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.