Fork-tailed flycatcher Tyrannus savana

Identification Tips:

• Length: 15 inches
• Frequents open habitats; often perches on fences
• Rare stray to eastern North America

Adult:

• Extemely long black tail with white outer tail feathers
• Black head
• Gray back
• Whitish underparts
• Blackish wings

Juvenile:

• Tail much shorter than adult
• Plumage somewhat duller than adult

Similar species:

The adult Fork-tailed Flycatcher, with its extremely long tail, is only likely to be confused with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher but this species lacks a dark cap.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.