Thursday, October 15, 2009

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

This bird took some research to identify. I believe it is a juvenile Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

Adult male Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus forficatus) have pearl gray upperparts and a nearly white head. Its flanks and under tail are salmon pink. The distinguishing characteristic is its long, forked tail. Juveniles have a shorter tail, more dull upperparts, browner wings, and less pink on the side of its breast.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is found mostly in Texas and Oklahoma. Its diet consists of insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles. It prefers open country along roadsides, ranches with scattered trees, and is often seen on fence posts and utility wires.

I took this photo in Ingram, Texas but I thought you might like to see the adult male's long, scissor-tail.

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