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Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus
great kiskadee

These birds are not too common across the United States, but they are more prominent in Central and South America.

Sam Crowe
Updated: March 22, 2023
Birds IDENTIFICATION

The Great Kiskadee is a stocky flycatcher with reddish-brown upperparts, wings and tail. It has a white throat and bright yellow underparts, and a black and white striped head with a yellow crown patch.

 

Description of the Great Kiskadee

BREEDING MALE

The Great Kiskadee is a stocky flycatcher with reddish-brown upperparts, wings and tail. It has a white throat and bright yellow underparts, and a black and white striped head with a yellow crown patch.  Length: 10 in.  Wingspan: 15 in.

Great Kiskadee

Photograph © Glenn Bartley.

Female

Sexes the same.

Seasonal change in appearance

None.

Juvenile

Similar to adults.

Habitat

Woodlands near water, and towns.

Diet

Insects, small lizards, frogs, baby birds, berries.

Great Kiskadee

Photograph © Glenn Bartley.

Behavior

Forages by flycatching, or by plunging into water from a perch, or from within tree branches.

Range

Resident from south Texas south to South America.

Fun Facts

In terms of foraging behavior and diet, Great Kiskadees resemble shrikes, jays, or kingfishers more than flycatchers.

Fearless in nest defense, Great Kiskadees will even harass snakes and large raptors.

Vocalizations

A slow “kis-ka-dee” is given, and is the source of its name.

Attracting

Great Kiskadees will come to feeders for dog food, bread, or bananas.

 

Similar Species

  • Unique appearance and sound.  The similar Social Flycatcher is found in Mexico.

Nesting

The nest is a bulky mass of weeds, moss, and plant fibers with a side entrance and is placed in a large tree.

Number: 4.
Color: White.

Incubation and fledging:
– Young hatch at 15-17 days.
– Young fledge (leave the nest) 15-20 days after hatching but remain with the adults for some time.

 

Bent Life History of the Great Kiskadee

Bent Life History for Great Kiskadee is not available.

About the Author

Sam Crowe
Sam is the founder of Birdzilla.com. He has been birding for over 30 years and has a world list of over 2000 species. He has served as treasurer of the Texas Ornithological Society, Sanctuary Chair of Dallas Audubon, Editor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "All About Birds" web site and as a contributing editor for Birding Business magazine. Many of his photographs and videos can be found on the site.

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