Photo: Kramer, Gary / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Tyrannus forficatus
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) — 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 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 39.3 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 Tyrannus
- Species forficatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA c USA to ne Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.3 g, with a wing length of about 12.1 cm and a tail of around 21.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a small bird that weighs around 39.3 g.
Where does the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher live?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is found across North America with a range covering NA c USA to ne Mexico, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher belong to?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher eat?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher migrate?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 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 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher make?
1 real field recording of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher — 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 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher's range?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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.
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Guides for this bird
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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.