The family name stems from the aggressive, almost tyrannical, behavior of some of the birds in this large group of more than 400 species, most of which live in the tropics. Pennsylvania has ten species. For all practical purposes, they are distinguishable only by their songs. Flycatchers are perching birds, members of Order Passeriformes, whose feet have three toes pointing forward and one toe pointing backward, letting them perch easily on branches.
Flycatchers catch and eat flies and many other insects, particularly flying ants, bees and wasps.
In forested areas large flycatchers may specialize in larger insects, medium size flycatchers may take slightly smaller prey, and small flycatchers may zero in on the smallest insects. Such feeding stratification reduces competition and lets several species use the same area. Also, different species prefer subtly different habitats, with varying amounts and densities of undergrowth and degrees of canopy shading. When foraging, a flycatcher sits upright on a perch, scanning its surroundings while waiting for an insect to approach. The bird darts out in swift, maneuverable flight, snatches an insect out of the air with its beak, and eats it on the spot or returns to the perch to eat the meal.