Class Aves
Order Songbirds
Family Flycatchers
Genus Tyrannus

Credit: Larry Bond

North American field guide

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Also known as:Split-tailed Flycatcher

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

28-38 cm (11-15") Common and conspicuous in open country, farms, roadsides, wires. Breeds from southern Nebraska south through Oklahoma (State Bird) to Texas. Casual wanderer throughout much of North America.

Pale gray body; pink sides; in flight, bright pinkish-orange underwings. Extremely long split tail. In spring males give spectacular courtship display flights.

Song: chattering, twittering.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

7 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Larry Bond

Bob Jones Park in Southlake, Westlake, Texas, US - June 12, 2012

Credit: Ken Slade

Credit: Ken Slade

Pair in flight at Bob Jones Park in Southlake, Texas on June 19, 2011

Credit: Ken Slade

Looking over a pasture near Fulshear, TX - April 2007

Credit: Dale Hichens

In flight at Bob Jones Park in Southlake, Texas on June 19, 2011

Credit: Ken Slade

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Scissor tailed Flycatcher

Credit: Eclipscyn

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Wah-kon-tah Prairie

Credit: Chrissy & Andy

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 3 rules

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

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

3 rules

Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 6

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: 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 ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:853-scissor-tailed-flycatcher:1:1 Source: 853 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, row 1

Rule 2 17 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: 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 ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:853-scissor-tailed-flycatcher:2:1 Source: 853 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, row 2

Rule 3 17 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: 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 ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:853-scissor-tailed-flycatcher:3:1 Source: 853 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, row 3