What does the Great Crested Flycatcher song sound like?

Myiarchus crinitus

Song Common

Play the real Great Crested Flycatcher song, the "WHEE-eep! WHEE-eep!", and learn what to listen for.

“WHEE-eep! WHEE-eep!”

What the Great Crested Flycatcher song sounds like

A sharp, whistled two-part phrase given from high canopy perches, often repeated every few seconds at dawn and early morning.

“WHEE-eep! WHEE-eep!”

Birders often file this one under Loud "Wheeep" Song.

How to find the bird singing it

Mature deciduous and mixed woodlands, wooded edges, parks, orchards, and shaded suburban areas with tall trees. Requires natural cavities or old woodpecker holes for nesting.

Rufous Tail & Wing Edges: Rich rusty-orange coloring on inner webs of tail feathers and secondaries visible in flight or when flicked.
Lemon-Yellow Belly: Bright yellow washed underside, contrasting with gray throat and breast.
Gray Crest & Throat: Bushy crest and throat are medium gray, not brown, giving a sharp demarcation from yellow underparts.

When you'll hear it

Breeding (Spring–Summer)

Widespread in forests of eastern North America; loud vocal activity and cavity nesting.

Migration (Fall/Spring)

Moves through eastern states; often observed in coastal migrant traps.

Non-breeding (Winter)

In tropical lowland forests, plantations, and shade coffee farms from Florida Keys southward.

Don’t confuse it with

Birds whose song gets mistaken for this one. Play them back to back.

Eastern Kingbird

Blackish head with white tip to tail

Great Crested Flycatcher song FAQ

What does a Great Crested Flycatcher song sound like?

A sharp, whistled two-part phrase given from high canopy perches, often repeated every few seconds at dawn and early morning. Birders write it as "WHEE-eep! WHEE-eep!".

How do I tell a Great Crested Flycatcher from a Ash-throated Flycatcher by ear?

Ash-throated Flycatcher: Palest yellow belly and pale gray upperparts; Less extensive rufous in wings/tail.

When is the best time to hear the Great Crested Flycatcher song?

Long-distance migrant. Returns to breeding areas in late April–May, raises one brood through summer, and departs August–September. On winter range, relatively sedentary but may wander locally following fruit crops.

More Great Crested Flycatcher sounds

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