Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 62.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Pitangus
- Species sulphuratus
Where it lives
Southwestern USA to central Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 62.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Kiskadee is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Great Kiskadee is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA sw USA to c Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 62.9 g, with a wing length of about 11.2 cm and a tail of around 8.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 16.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Kiskadee?
The Great Kiskadee is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62.9 g.
Where does the Great Kiskadee live?
The Great Kiskadee is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA sw USA to c Argentina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Great Kiskadee belong to?
The Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Great Kiskadee eat?
The Great Kiskadee is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Great Kiskadee migrate?
The Great Kiskadee is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great Kiskadee endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Great Kiskadee make?
1 real field recording of the Great Kiskadee — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Great Kiskadee's range?
The Great Kiskadee has a mapped global range of about 16.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Tyrannidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.