Bird Guide

Fork-tailed Flycatcher vs Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana)

Fork-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus savana

Small32 gGrassland

The fork-tailed flycatcher is white below, gray above, and has a black cap. Males sometimes show a yellow crown stripe. Males also have an extremely long, forked tail, of even greater length than that of the related scissor-tailed flycatcher. Females have a somewhat shorter tail, and it is significantly shorter in juveniles. Males are 37–41 cm (15–16 in) in length; females, 28–30 cm (11–12 in), including tail. They weigh only 28–32 g (0.99–1.13 oz), much less than closely related kingbirds, which are half the total length of this species. Voice: Fork-tailed flycatchers produce both vocal and nonvocal sounds. In general, they have a dry, buzzy call, and a weak "tic-note" while in flight. Their wings have been observed to make a distinct whistling note while flying overhead. Research has uncovered differences in the pitch of whistling noises by different subspecies of T. savana.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Rogier Klappe · CC BY 2.0
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: Fork-tailed Flycatcher and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.