arque da Aclimação em São Paulo
Credit: Dario Sanches

North American field guide

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

Also known as:Kiskadee Flycatcher

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

25 cm (10") Locally common. Southern Texas; Rio Grande Valley. Strays to southeastern Arizona and along Gulf coast. Wet lowlands.

Boldly striped black and white head. Brown upperparts, rufous wings and tail. Bright yellow underparts.

Flycatcher that will also swoop fish out of the water. Was called Kiskadee Flycatcher.

Song: named for its call "kis-ka-dee".

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Great Kiskadee

2 rules
Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 3
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?
Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
Yellow · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:848-great-kiskadee:1:1 Source: 848 Great Kiskadee, row 1
Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 1
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?
Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
Yellow · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southeastern United States