Great crested flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Photo by Frode Jacobsen (Flickr)

Common name:
great crested flycatcher (en); papa-moscas-grande-de-crista (pt); tyran huppé (fr); copetón viajero (es); gelbbauch-schopftyrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
This species breeds in the eastern United States and in south-eastern Canada. They migrate south to winter from southern Mexico to northern Colombia and western Venezuela. Some also winter in southern Florida and Cuba.

Size:
These birds are 17-21 cm long and have a wingspan of 34 cm. They weigh 27-40 g.

Habitat:
The great crested flycatcher breeds in open deciduous woodlands, old orchards, pastures, riparian corridors, wooded swamps and urban parks with large shade trees.They winter in both moist and dry tropical forests, as well as pastures, swamps and urban parks. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.400 m.

Diet:
They mainly feed on flying insects and other invertebrates, but will also take some fruits and berries.

Breeding:
Great crested flycatchers breed in May-July. They are monogamous and in some cases pairs breed together for several years. The nest in natural cavities, which they line with
leaves, hair, feathers, rootlets, string, trash, small twigs, bark, paper, and shed snakeskin. They also use nest boxes. The female lays 4-8 buffy eggs with brown or purple streaks. The female incubates the eggs alone for 13-15 days. The chicks fledge 13-15 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the population is estimated at 7,5 million individuals. The population tren has been stable over the last 4 decades.