Great Crested Flycatcher in March
Where great crested flycatchers are in March, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
March in the Great Crested Flycatcher's year
March is a month of transition. Winter visitors begin drifting north, the first spring migrants appear in the South, and resident birds are in full song. Weather swings hard — a warm week can push migration early, and a late blizzard can catch migrants short of food.
For the Great Crested Flycatcher specifically, March is a spring month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 43 states and provinces where great crested flycatchers occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where great crested flycatchers are in March
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- mostly absent (migration only)
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In March, great crested flycatchers are absent in the South, mostly absent (migration only) across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in March
Great crested flycatchers are not nesting in March. The season runs May–July at mid-latitudes.
That makes March a useful month for nest-box work: cleaning out old nesting material, checking mounts and predator guards, and making repairs while boxes are empty. A box that's ready early gets claimed early.
What to feed in March
- Winters in Central America
The only eastern flycatcher that nests in cavities — often in boxes, famously lined with shed snakeskin.
Migration brings new faces to feeders. Keep seed fresh and watch for birds passing through that you won't see again until fall.
Watching great crested flycatchers this month
Great crested flycatchers are settled and predictable in March, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.
If you have a Great Crested Flycatcher box up, this is the month to make sure it's clean, secure and ready — the box guide below has the exact hole size and mounting height this species needs.
Great Crested Flycatcher month by month
Great Crested Flycatcher by state
Frequently asked
Where are great crested flycatchers in March?
In March, great crested flycatchers are absent in the South, mostly absent (migration only) across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do great crested flycatchers nest in March?
No — great crested flycatchers typically nest May through July at mid-latitudes.
What do great crested flycatchers eat in March?
Winters in Central America.
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
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.