The Fork Tailed Flycatcher, Tyrannus savana, is a passerine bird of tyrant flycatcher family which includes the kingbirds.

Overview

Species analysis

This bird occurs in a wide variety of habitats including pastures, riparian forests, and open residential areas with scattered trees. Its breeding range is from central Mexico to central Argentina. In most of this range it is usually found year-round, but in the southern parts of its range it retreats northward for the winter. This species is also known to wander widely. It occurs almost annually in the United States and Canada.

This flycatcher builds a shallow cup nest 1"?10 m high in a shrub or short tree. Females normally lay 2 or 3 eggs.

The Fork-Tailed Flycatcher is dark gray on top and white below. Males sometimes show a yellow crown stripe atop their black cap. Males also have an extremely long forked tail, even longer than that of their cousin, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Juveniles and females have shorter tails. Males are 37"?41 cm in length; females, 28"?30 cm, including tail. Birds weigh 28"?32 g.

This species is primarily an insectivore, but will switch to berries and small fruits during winter if insects become scarce.