How to Attract Flycatchers to Nest 2022 

I live in Northern Indiana. Please follow Backyard Birds advice on birds that make their homes in nest boxes. Before I became disabled, I followed his channel and used a lot of his information. I was able to fledge from the three trails I worked on about 4,000 bluebirds, 6,000 tree swallows, 100's of screech owls and chickadees, many flickers, wood ducks and tufted titmice. Near my health's end, I got into the nesting of great crested flycatchers. I was able to fledge about 100 of them and would have loved to be able to fledge many more. They are a great bird all around and definitely deserve our help. Backyard Birds is an excellent resource.

Just saw my first flycatcher in Wisconsin yesterday. Thank you for the great video

So glad your are making videos again Jeff. I’ve learned so much from you. I became a successful bluebird landlord in suburban central Ohio and last summer we moved to a rural location. Now, I’m also putting up nest boxes to attract other cavity nesters in decline like GCFL, NOFL, AMKE, and ESOW.

Great insights, thank you. Shed snakeskin?!? I never would have guessed!

Love the info. I have a pr hanging around..blues too

Excellent!

Nice vid.

Great video, very helpful.

This is the first time I have seen Great breasted flycatchers nesting in my backyard. We recently had bluebirds just leave this particular nest box (the bluebirds use it every year, but after first brood fledges they move to the box on the front porch) and I just caught the flycatchers building. I am anxious to see how they do, as this box is only mounted about six feet up on the side of a shed. It does have a piece of smooth plexiglass behind it, as I had a very happy rat snake full of baby bluebirds last year. I have never seen this type of flycatcher in my backyard before, so fingers crossed! Thanks for the information in your video!

Thanks

I utilize traps but I also find a highly accurate pre charged pneumatic air rifle in 22 or 25 caliber to be extremely useful in keeping sparrows and starlings from native birds nest boxes! One thing I've learned using an air rifle is sparrows are much more aware they are being targeted than starlings! I had a great crested in my front yard in woodpecker hole. I may try putting a nest box close to that tree! (Not to close)

Trial and error 👍

We have GCFs here, so I put up two boxes for them. They’ve not used them, but bluebirds do and seem to prefer the larger boxes for some reason, and interestingly… the female bluebird builds the nest cup on one side of the box in the corner like the flycatchers do. Pretty neat. Questions about the boxes… the pole system I have doesn’t extend above 5’, and the only telescoping pole I have doesn’t seem to be something a stovepipe style predator guard will work on and actually makes it where the pole won’t lower. Is there a way around this? The pole baffles I have on the current nest box poles are raccoon baffles from WBU, but those won’t work on the telescoping pole we have. Unfortunately, I watched the female GCF gathering nesting materials a little while ago, and she flew in the opposite direction of our property. We have a lot of woodpeckers, so they may have found a natural cavity. Love the video. It’s very informative. Thank you for making it and sharing your experience and knowledge.

Do they get alone with blue birds?

I have them nesting in my concrete building

Your saying to trap the invasive birds but what do you do when you trap them?

What month did your Great Crested Flycatchers start nest building?

Apparently, this species is aggressive enough to even push out starlings