Bird Guide

Cassin's Kingbird vs Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Cassin's Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans)

Cassin's Kingbird

Tyrannus vociferans

Small46 gForest

Adults have a gray head with slightly darker cheeks; a dark unforked tail with a buffy fringe and gray-olive underparts. They have a pale throat and deep yellow lower breast. Juveniles are duller and have pale edges on their wings. Measurements: Length: 8.3–9.1 in (21–23 cm) Weight: 1.6 oz (45 g) Wingspan: 41 cm Cassin's kingbird and the western kingbird are similar in appearance. Cassin's is a little larger than the western and the upper parts are a darker gray than the western.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Steph Cárdenas · CC BY 4.0
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Small39 gUrban

Adult birds have pale gray heads and upper parts, light underparts, salmon-pink flanks and undertail coverts, and dark gray wings. Axillars and patch on underwing coverts are red. Their extremely long, forked tails, which are black on top and white on the underside, are characteristic and unmistakable. At maturity, the male may be up to 15 in (38 cm) in length, while the female's tail is up to 30% shorter. The wingspan is 38.1 cm (15.0 in) and the weight is up to 43 g (1.5 oz). Immature birds are duller in color and have shorter tails.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Kramer, Gary · Public domain

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cassin's Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.