Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
They are one of the few flycatchers that regularly catch fish, diving into the water much like a kingfisher.
- Scientific name
- Pitangus sulphuratus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Tyrannidae › Pitangus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, forest edges, riverbanks, and urban parks or gardens.
- Diet
- Omnivorous: large insects, small fish, lizards, frogs, seeds, and fruit.
- Range
- Southern United States, Mexico, Central America, South America
- Size
- 22-27 cm length, 53-68g weight
- Lifespan
- 7-10 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Minimal; adaptable to human-altered landscapes, though pesticide use affects prey availability.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These birds are bold and loud but pose no threat to humans. If a bird is dive-bombing, you are likely near a nest; simply walk away. Do not attempt to handle fledglings found on the ground.
The great kiskadee ( Pitangus sulphuratus ) is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. It is the only member of the genus Pitangus .
Photo: Dario Sanches, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/faefb309-4b94-4b01-8864-dd725f1fe8d0.md