Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 8.7–14.6 in
22–37 cm - Weight
- 1.3–2 oz
36–56 g
Other Names
- Tyran à longue queue (French)
- Tirano-tijereta rosado (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher forms large premigratory roosts in late summer, with up to 1,000 birds in one flock. They often roost near towns, perhaps taking advantage of the large trees as roosting sites.
- The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher uses many human products in its nest, such as string, cloth, paper, carpet fuzz, and cigarette filters. One study of nests in an urban area in Texas found that artificial materials accounted for 30% of the weight of nests.
- Inclement weather can be an important factor in causing nest failure of open country birds. High winds and thunderstorms can destroy large numbers of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher nests in some years, accounting for nearly half of all nest failures.
Habitat
Grassland
- Breeds in open grasslands with occasional trees and shrubs.
- Also in towns and agricultural areas.
- Winters in similar habitat, and the edges of tropical forests.
Food
Insects
Insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- White with dark markings around large end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless and with only sparse white down.
Nest Description
Nest an open cup of plant stems and string, lined with finer plant materials. Placed in small isolated trees or large shrubs.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Flycatching
Captures most prey by aerial hawking. Also grabs insects off vegetation.
Conservation
Least Concern
The breeding range expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, probably as the result of clearing forests and the planting of ornamental trees. Populations overall seem stable, but it is declining in Oklahoma.
Credits
- Regosin, J. V. 1998. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus). In The Birds of North America, No. 342 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.