Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Tyrannus forficatus
To my eye, this robin-sized bird was a fluffy grey and yellow sight to behold in the chilly autumn evening light. The yellow feathers stood out vibrantly against the pale blue sky and it seemed to have somewhat muted but unmistakably grey tones.
Scientific classification
Tyrannus forficatus
Family
Tyrannidae
Name of species
Swallow-tailed flycatcher or Scissors-tail
Its name is derived from the Latin words forfex and forficis which translates to a pair of scissors.
Genus: Tyrannus
We collectively refer to these bird members as Kingbirds, and the Scissors-tail is now one of 13 species in this genus.
This species is the most closely related to the Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis. These two birds are sympatric thus living in the same geographical region.
This also means that they may have initially interbred and split into two distinct species and now share a common range in nature. It is said that they now possibly compete for the same niche.
We observed this bird on Sunday evening, November 3rd, 2024. This bird was first observed by Kiirsti Owen.
Introduction:
We got excellent views of this gorgeous insectivore’s back and underside on its tree-top perch for only three minutes before it gracefully and swiftly flew toward the forest into the distance.
Unbothered by a large number of cars and birders across the road, the flycatcher had headed to the treetop after feeding on mountain ash berries. There was a huge variety of cultivated and native fruit trees growing in the area.
Description:
In the winter of 2021, artist John Paul Brammer depiction of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in a dancing pose was published in Audubon’s magazine. It clearly shows the grey, red, and salmon-pink coloring of this species as well as the black and white feathers.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in his work Systema Naturae, it was later formally described by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789.
To my eye, this robin-sized bird was a fluffy grey and yellow sight to behold in the chilly autumn evening light. The tail is very distinct and easily distinguished by the branching-out feathers.
The yellow feathers stood out vibrantly against the pale blue sky, and it had unmistakably grey tones. The blackish and white colored wing bars were also distinctly observed.. In field guides, they are described as having a pale grey color overall and the wings are blackish on top with salmon pinkish-colored underwings on adults.
When mature, male adults have very long and deeply forked tails twice the length of their body. Their tails are black and white with outer white feathers and black tips.
Males are generally more brightly colored. Females have a yellow tinge instead of salmon.
Females’ tails are also approximately thirty percent shorter.
Wingspan:
The Scissor-tail has a wingspan of 15 cm (5.9 in).
Length:
the average length of a mature Scissor-Tailed flycatcher is 22-37 cm (8.7-14.6 in). The tail is approximately 22 cm long doubling the length of their body.
Weight:
Adults usually weigh 36-56 g (1.3-2.0 oz).
Approximate age:
This individual seemingly matches the description of an immature Scissor-tailed Flycatcher or perhaps suggests a young bird due to its overall grey color and lack of salmon-pink color typical of mature birds. The underside was an obvious washed-out yellow-orange color of young birds of this species.
The tail was shorter- not as long and developed as in adults of this breed whose white and black tails visibly stream behind them due to their long length and wide flare.
Mature birds have a salmon or pink color on their sides and beneath their pointy wings as well as a distinctive almost white pale grey color overall.
Feeding habits:
Being mainly insectivorous, their typical diet consists of insects. Their preferred staples are grasshoppers, beetles, and crickets. They also enjoy wasps, bees, and true bugs including cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, and shield bugs.
Additionally, they feed on flies, caterpillars, moths and will eat spiders. Small numbers of berries and wild fruit are eaten too.
As mentioned this bird was observed eating ash berries as the cold temperatures in our area have decreased the number of available insects. They sit high in trees or other perches to watch for insects. Once they have caught their prey they carry it to a perch to eat.
Other times they forage in trees or hover in fields. In their range, they feed on fruit such as Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba). Feeding behavior includes hopping from branch to branch and from tree to tree.
Native Range:
This species is easily spotted in trees due to its size, tail length, and its unique silhouette even when driving. Found in the southern Great Plains, in north and central America the Scissor-tail, and the Western Kingbird, have both expanded their breeding ranges towards the east over the past fifty years. They wander far from their range and have been recorded on the East Coast, in southern Canada, and some Caribbean islands.
Habitat:
Although they prefer semi-open country and are often observed on roadsides, this bird can also be seen on ranches and farms. They favor grassland or farmland that has a few trees or isolated groves.
Winters are spent in tropical regions in open or semi-open country: humid savannas, pastures, agricultural lands, scrublands, villages, towns, and at the edges of tropical deciduous forests.
During wintertime, they commonly stay below 5,000 feet elevation. However, they have been seen at up to 7,500 feet high. Sometimes they roost in towns and will disperse to the countryside to forage.
Behavior:
This spectacular bird was observed sitting on a treetop as is typical of this species. It was extremely agile in flight, moving swiftly with purpose. This species is known for being acrobatic. Fearless and guarded, they have been observed attacking larger birds and birds of prey, especially during nesting time. Flying in straight lines with fast wingbeats and tails folded, they can make sharp turns in midair and hover with tail feathers spread out.
Their impressive tails are useful when on the wing enabling them to perform elegant acrobatics. the lengthy tail aids when pivoting, changing direction, and catching insects in mid-flight. They can be seen hovering above vegetation, then dropping abruptly to the ground to pounce on their prey.
Vocalizations:
As with other flycatchers, the Scissor-tail lacks a true song. Its presence is known for repetitive, sharp, high-pitched calls and squeaky chatters. The call is a harsh kee-kee-kee-kee and the chattering notes are similar to those of Eastern Kingbirds.
Migration journey and behavior
The Scissor-Tailed flycatcher is seen in winter in open areas such as savannas, pastures, scrublands, forest edges, and near towns. Its range is from southern Mexico and throughout the drier Pacific-slope regions of Central America. Thousands gather for premigration and will travel and roost together in the evening. Regularly, some are seen overwintering in Florida. They gather in large, flocks migrating to Mexico and Central America. When observed during migration they bicker amongst themselves.
Breeding range:
Males arrive before the females to the breeding grounds. They will breed from southern Nebraska south to Texas and east to central Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri in North America and in Mexico. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers breed after the age of one in early April and stay late into October and sometimes through November.
This flycatcher has a courtship ritual and once they arrive at their breeding grounds. It consists of an aerial display that shows the male opening and closing his tail, hence its name. While flying, he makes sounds like a trilling cackle. Next, he flies in a zigzag pattern, to suddenly drop from thirty-plus meters (100 feet) and flies straight upwards displaying his tail.
Lucky bird watchers can observe fancy backward somersaults, which will most likely impress any watching females. Scissor-tails. once they have paired up, are monogamous for the season but may not meet up again during future breeding periods.
Nesting area/habits:
They prefer areas that provide a mixture of food supply, perches, open spaces for foraging, and trees for nesting in. They have been known to breed in towns, farm fields, croplands and pastures, mesquite prairies; in landscaped areas like gardens, golf courses or parks, and roadsides or salt marsh edges. Breeding may also occur in open grassland with no trees.
Sometimes they nest on utility poles and bridge girders.
Nest building:
Once a potential nesting area is found, the couple goes house hunting-hopping around and testing out different spots by pressing themselves against the branches in isolated trees. The chosen spot will be sheltered from the prevailing wind and often shaded by a bit of foliage.
The nest is usually built at eye level on a horizontal tree limb or in a tree fork by the female who is often escorted by the male. Females search for building materials such as twigs, grass, plant stems, flowers, oak catkins, wool, Spanish moss, and peppergrass. She adds other debris she finds such as string, cloth, paper, tissue, thread, and cotton. Sometimes she adds wet soil, caterpillar cocoons, sheep wool, Bermuda grass leaves, cedar bark, and even cigarette filters.
The nest is cup-shaped. A rough frame is made with an outer layer using course materials that she collects and she closely knits them together. She then makes an inner cup approximately 7-8 cm (3 inches) across and 5.5 cm (2 inches) deep that is made of tightly woven dried roots, thistledown, cotton fibers, wooly cudweed leaves, and other soft materials as listed above that she has found to line the interior.
The nest may be completed in a couple of days and sometimes weeks. Once her clutch is complete, both parents are extremely territorial and fiercely defend the area around the nest.
Scissor-tail breeding outcomes are vulnerable to extreme weather such as tornadoes and spring heat waves because they nest in open areas.
Eggs:
The female can produce four to six eggs, but will usually lay three to five and rarely six. The eggs are a whitish or creamy colour. They are blotched with other colours ranging from brown to reddish-brown, dark red, purple, and grey. Eggs measure 2-2.4 cm (0.8-0.9 inches) in length and 1.5-2 cm (0.6-0.8 inches) in width.
Incubation time:
Incubation is done by the female only. It takes usually 14-17 days or between 13-23 days for incubation.
Broods:
The couple may breed one to two times per season.
Feeding nestlings:
Both parents feed their babies who fledge after 14-17 days.
The conservation status for the scissor-tail is of least concern although there has been a decrease in population. It is stable although some local areas are showing a decline.
Breeding success may also be impacted by brush removal, which destroys potential nesting sites.
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is unique, unforgettable and a wonder to behold even for a brief moment!
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