Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), also colloquially known as the Texas bird-of-paradise, is an elegant and instantly recognizable member of the tyrant flycatcher family. Famous for its spectacularly long, forked tail, this species is a common and beloved sight across the southern Great Plains of North America during the breeding season. It is celebrated as the state bird of Oklahoma. With its pale pearl-gray plumage beautifully contrasted by salmon-pink flanks and underwings, this relative of the kingbirds combines striking aesthetics with breathtaking aerial agility. They are highly territorial during breeding and are often seen bravely defending their nests against much larger predatory birds.

Physical Characteristics

• Tail: The defining feature is the extremely long, deeply forked tail, which can measure up to 9 inches (22 cm) in mature males, accounting for more than half the bird's total length. The tail is mostly black with outer white feathers and is spread wide during aerial maneuvers.
• Plumage: Pale, soft gray head, neck, and back. The chest and belly are primarily white, blending into a warm salmon-pink or peach hue on the flanks and undertail coverts. In flight, they reveal bright pinkish-red "armpits" (axillary feathers).
• Sexes: Males and females have similar plumage, but males are larger and possess significantly longer, more dramatic tail feathers. Juveniles are duller overall, with much shorter tails and less intense pink coloring.

Similar Species

• Fork-tailed Flycatcher: A rare neotropical vagrant that also has an extremely long, dark fork tail, but it features a distinct charcoal-black cap and a much darker gray-black back.
• Western Kingbird: Shares a similar gray upperbody, but lacks the long fork-tail and has a bright lemony-yellow belly rather than salmon-pink flanks.

Breeding Habitat

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers prefer open country with scattered trees, shrubs, or utility structures. This includes pastures, agricultural fields, savannas, brushy prairies, and suburban parks. They are highly dependent on fences, telephone wires, and utility poles, which they use as hunting Lookouts.

Range and Migration

• Breeding Range: Their primary breeding range spans across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, extending east into Arkansas, western Louisiana, and southwestern Missouri, and south into northern Mexico.
• Wintering Range: They are entirely migratory, traveling south in late summer and autumn in large flocks. They winter primarily in southern Mexico and Central America, with small populations regularly wintering in southern Florida.

Vocalization

Their calls are sharp, squeaky chatterings and sharp notes. Typical sounds include a sharp bik or kep, resembling a squeaking toy. During dawn, territorial males perform a rhythmic, metallic song consisting of repeated chirps and rapid buzzing notes to establish territory.

Foraging and Diet

These birds are highly skilled aerial insectivores. They sit on exposed perches like fences, power lines, or tree branches, scanning the area before swooping out to catch insects in mid-air (a technique known as "hawking"). They also hover to pluck prey from vegetation. Their diet consists almost entirely of grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, wasps, and spiders.

Breeding and Courtship

The male performs a spectacular aerial "sky-dance" courtship display. He flies upward in a series of dramatic zig-zagging climbs, then plunges into a tumbling dive, all while uttering continuous chattering calls and opening and closing his long tail. They nest in isolated trees, large shrubs, or sometimes on utility poles, constructing cup-shaped nests out of twigs, grass, and cottony fibers, often incorporating human-made materials like string or paper.