Station 12
Great Crested Flycatcher
Physical Traits
Medium-sized songbird; large flycatcher; bright yellow belly; cinnamon rufous in wings and tail; pale wingbars.
Habitat
Breeds in open deciduous woodlands, old orchards, riparian corridors, wooded swamps, parks, cemeteries, and urban areas with large shade trees. Winters in humid forests and second growth.
Behavior
Sallies out from perches after flying insects, hovers to glean insects off leaves, and drops down from perch to take prey on ground. Hunts primarily in top of canopy.
Nest Building Techniques
Nests in cavities, typically filled with trash and nest placed on top. Nest made of leaves, hair, feathers, rootlets, string, trash, small twigs, bark, paper, and shed snakeskin. Will use nestbox.
Cool Facts
Many, but not all, Great Crested Flycatcher nests contain shed snakeskin. Other crinkly materials, such as plastic wrappers, cellophane, and onion skin, may be used. The Great Crested Flycatcher is a bird of the treetops. It spends very little time on the ground, and does not hop or walk. It prefers to fly from place to place on the ground rather than walk. The Great Crested Flycatcher makes the same "wee-eep" calls on the wintering grounds that it makes in summer.
Where is the Flycatcher?
Look to the extreme left of the numbered station post,look along the trail as the trail curves to the right about 30 meters ahead,
look for a left pointing branch on an Ironwood tree just across the trail,
the Flycatcher replica is on that branch about 3 meters above the trail.
Want a picture of where to look ??
Want to see the replica ??
