Great Crested Flycatcher

One of the interesting birds that we see here in the summer is the great-crested flycatcher. Although they are some what common they are not always easy to find. They spend much of their time at the top of the trees hunting for flying insects. Occasionally they will drop down to take insects from the ground but they usually will not stay on the ground for very long. They nest through out much of the eastern United States and parts of south eastern Canada. They nest in tree cavities or nesting boxes and often cushion the nest inside the cavity with a layer of trash or vegetation. I photographed this flycatcher last summer at the Dodge Nature Center.