The Great Crested Flycatcher. I love the way that allaboutbirds describes this bird: “A large, assertive flycatcher with reddish-brown accents and a lemon-yellow belly is a common bird of Eastern woodlands. Its habit of hunting high in the canopy means it’s not particularly conspicuous – until you learn its very distinctive call, an emphatic rising whistle.”
Let’s hear that call:
Cresty is the largest Flycatcher in the family and stands out to Peter because of his odd request:
If in your roaming about you run across an old cast-off suit of Mr. Black Snake, or of any other member of the Snake family, I wish you would remember me and let me know. Will you, Peter? said Cresty.
Cresty from “The Burgess Bird Book” by Thornton W. Burgess
Understandably, Peter stumbles as he replies to Cresty’s request. But it is true, Great Crested Flycatchers use discarded snake skins, weaving them into their nests. Allaboutbirds adds that “where it’s readily available, as in Florida, nearly every nest contains snakeskin.” Here is another video from #MyBackyardBirding with a female stocking the nest.
Great Crested Flycatchers make their nests in tree cavities and because of this, they are an excellent fit for a bird nest box.
Look at our other findings about the Great Crested Flycatcher:
They are certainly interesting birds, and until nest time, hehe, keep on birding!
<3 Kate
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