SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA'S FLYCATCHERS

     Six kinds of flycatchers, which is a family of small birds, nest in southeastern Pennsylvania.  Being related, all flycatchers snare flying insects in mid-air and flutter back to a perch to ingest their victims and watch for more.  

     This family of birds, like all families of life, diverged into different species from a common ancestor to take advantage of flying insects in various habitats, which causes the species.  Each kind of flycatcher in this area has its own niche, in habitats ranging from open meadows to deep woods, which reduces competition for food among them.  

     Flycatchers in this area have plain feathering, which camouflages them against hawks and other predators, and makes it hard for us to find them.  But males of each kind have a distinctive call that proclaims nesting territories, brings the genders together for raising young, and allows us to detect the birds in hiding, and identify them. 

     Each pair of eastern kingbirds hatches offspring in an open cup cradle in a lone tree in a meadow or field.  Kingbirds perch on tree twigs, tall grasses and fences to watch for flying insects to catch and eat.

     Willow flycatchers hatch babies in open nurseries in thickets of shrubs, particularly multiflora rose, and vines at the edges of fields, and along farmland waterways and roadsides.  Males sing an explosive "fitz-bew" from exposed perches.  

     Eastern phoebes are woodland birds that raise youngsters in mud and moss cradles on rock ledges under overhanging boulders near a forest stream.  But they adapted to rearing chicks on beams under porches and small bridges in woods, including in farmland woodlots, which has helped increase their populations.  Males call "fee-bee, fee-bee" and all phoebes constantly pump their tails up and down.

     Great crested flycatchers are woods birds that nest in tree cavities, including abandoned woodpecker holes.  I have also seen some pairs raising young in tree hollows and bird boxes on tree-dotted lawns near woodlands.  Again, their adapting to other than woodland nesting sites has increased their numbers.  Male crested flycatchers utter an ascending "wheeeeeppp". 

     Eastern wood pewees are forest birds.  Each female builds an open-cup nest at the branching fork of two twigs high in a tree.  Males sing a plaintive "peee-a-weeee" over and over throughout much of each summer day.  That song seems to be particularly sweet and gentle at dusk and into the developing darkness of night.        

     Acadian flycatcher females build open nurseries low on limbs hanging over streams in forested ravines.  Males sing an explosive, loud "spit-chee".  Their song may have greater volume than other flycatchers' songs so they can hear each other over the music of the tumbling stream. 

     These flycatchers spend northern winters in Central and South America where they find flying insects to feed on.  A few phoebes winter in the southern United States.           

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