Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

About the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Also known as: Texas Bird-of-paradise, Swallow-tailed Flycatcher,
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a species in the kingbird genus and the tyrant flycatcher family. These handsome birds are found in parts of North America and Central America.

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are named for their long split tails. Males and females both have long tails, though those of male birds may be up to 30% longer than a female's. Males and females share the same striking plumage: grey upperparts, light underparts with pink-hued flanks, and black-and-white tails.

In the United States, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are found across central southern states like Texas and Kansas. It is the official state bird of Oklahoma.
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Details & Statistics

Conservation

The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2012 by BirdLife International. This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

International Names

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Related Articles

2016 Bonanza Bird #1: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

It's time for our 2016 Birdorable Bonanza! This time we are commemorating the 10 year anniversary of Birdorable with a 10-bird celebration. Today's new bird is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a beautiful species in the kingbird genus and the tyrant flycatcher...  Read more »