The scissor-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) is a fascinating bird known for its extremely long, forked tail. As the name suggests, the bird’s very distinctive tail resembles an open pair of scissors. This acrobatic insectivore gets its name from the noise its primary flight feathers make when the male performs its incredible territorial display flights. The scissor-tailed flycatcher makes a variety of sounds, though most known for the scissoring, fluttering noise of its tail feathers and Primary song chirps and whistles.
Physical Description
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is relatively large for a flycatcher, measuring approximately 14-18 cm (5.5-7 in) from head to tail. However, over half of its length is made up of its long tail feathers that can measure up to 25 cm (10 in). Beyond the incredibly long tail, the scissor-tailed flycatcher has the typical look of a large flycatcher with a crest and short bill. Adults have pale grey plumage on the head, back and underside with accents of pink on the belly. The tail and wings are black with white edging. The male and female look alike.
Young scissor-tailed flycatchers resemble duller versions of the adults with dusky grey-brown plumage instead of the pale grey seen in adults. Their tail feathers start off shorter but grow longer as they mature.
Range
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is found throughout the southern Central Plains of the United States up through the Central Lowlands and into parts of the Eastern United States during summer breeding months. Its range stretches from Texas to Florida and as far north as southern Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and southern Illinois.
Come winter, this species migrates through Texas down to Central America and northern parts of South America. They primarily winter in Mexico.
Habitat
Scissor-tailed flycatchers occupy open country habitat throughout their range including pastures, prairies, agricultural fields and savannas. They tend to avoid dense woodlands and swamps and are most frequently found in areas interspersed with trees, shrubs or fence posts suitable for perching.
During migration and wintering, they occupy similar open country habitat including agricultural areas, savannas, and open woodlands.
Diet
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is an insectivore, feeding mainly on insects captured during aerial pursuits. Its diet includes grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, ants, bees, wasps, dragonflies, moths and butterflies. On occasion, they may eat berries and seeds.
They hunt by perching on an open exposed perch scanning for prey below. Once spotted, they launch into flight to pursue the insect before returning to the perch to consume it. They may also forage for insects while hovering.
Sounds of the Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher
The scissor-tailed flycatcher makes a variety of vocalizations and mechanical sounds with its feathers. The most well-known is the clicking, fluttering sound of its tail feathers during display dives. However, it uses various chirps and whistles for communication.
Tail Feather Fluttering
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is best known for the sound made by its extra-long tail feathers during territorial display flights. As the male sweeps through the air in speedy dives and climbs, the tail feathers vibrate rapidly producing a loud fluttering, clicking, or snipping noise that carries far and wide. This distinct mechanical sound resembles the rapid opening and closing of scissors, hence their name.
Both male and female scissor-tailed flycatchers perform display dives early in the breeding season to establish territories and attract mates. However, the male’s tail feathers are longer so its scissoring noise is louder and more impressive. The vibrating tail feathers act like an amplifier to broadcast the sound over the open landscape.
You can hear recordings of the scissor-tailed flycatcher’s fluttering tail feathers online. It sounds like a very quick snipping noise almost like a fast rattlesnake shake.
Calls and Song
In addition to the tail fluttering noise, scissor-tailed flycatchers vocalize with various whistles, chirps and calls.
The male’s primary song is a mix of clear whistles and sharper, more forceful chirps. The song is described as a “wik-wik wik wik wik wik” with chirps interspersed. They may repeat this song from an elevated, prominent perch for a prolonged period.
Both males and females give single chip notes while perched that sound like “pip” or “titi”. These chip notes help the pair stay in contact.
A sharp, louder “wik-wik” or “pit-pit” call is given as an alarm when predators like hawks are spotted.
Young scissor-tailed flycatchers emit soft, whispery begging calls when waiting to be fed by a parent.
During migration and wintering, flocks of scissor-tailed flycatchers produce constant soft chattering contact calls while foraging and roosting.
Breeding and Nesting
The scissor-tailed flycatcher breeds in loose colonies, with nests sometimes located over 100 yards apart. Courtship displays like the male’s scissors-like tail fluttering help form pairs.
The nest is a compact cup built 3-20 meters high in isolated trees, on posts, utility poles, or other manmade structures. Both male and female construct the nest of grasses, straw, weed stems, feathers, and more, bound with spider web. It is lined with finer materials like hair and fine grass.
A clutch of 3-6 eggs is laid. The eggs are white with blotches of brown, purple or gray concentrated around the wider end. Incubation lasts 14-15 days.
The altricial young hatch helpless with eyes closed. Both parents feed the nestlings regurgitated insects. The young fledge the nest at 17-19 days old. The parents continue tending to the fledglings for some time after they leave the nest. Most pairs raise one brood per year.
Population and Conservation Status
The scissor-tailed flycatcher has an extremely large range estimated at 4.7 million square kilometers. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population at 2.7 million individuals. Population trends seem stable and the species is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Interesting Facts about Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers
– The extra-long tail feathers make up over half the scissor-tailed flycatcher’s body length. Their tail is by far the longest of any North American flycatcher.
– The male’s tail streamers can snap off if grasped by a predator like a hawk. If this happens, new tail feathers will regrow in before the next breeding season.
– Scissor-tailed flycatchers occasionally build nests within abandoned nests of other bird species.
– They sometimes perch on the backs of large mammals like cows or horses to hunt insects stirred up by the grazing animals.
– Collisions with cars, trucks, and aircraft are a common cause of death for this aerial flycatcher species.
Conclusion
The scissor-tailed flycatcher is aptly named for the clicking, fluttering sound its tail makes during acrobatic territorial displays. However, it has a diverse repertoire of vocalizations used for communication including clear whistles, sharp chirps, chip notes, and begging calls. This athletic flycatcher uses a variety of sounds along with its dramatic tail to capture the attention of mates and defend its nesting territory on the open Southern Plains. The unique scissoring rattle of its tail feathers makes the scissor-tailed flycatcher one of the most distinctive birds found in the United States.