# Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

[![scissor-tailed-flycatcher-1.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/scissor-tailed-flycatcher-1.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scissor-tailed-flycatcher-1.jpeg)

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-an-american-kestrel-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; border-width: 1px; background-color: #ecf0f1;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px;">*This Scissor-tailed Flycatcher posed nicely for a handful of photos.*</td></tr></tbody></table>

### **Description**

An overall gray body with salmon-colored flanks and dark gray wings. This striking flycatcher has a long black and white tail that opens up into a magnificent scissor shape during flight.

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### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">**Personal stats**</span>  


#### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">**First observation**</span>

<table border="1" class="align-center" id="bkmrk-%F0%9F%93%86-12%2F01%2F2013-%F0%9F%93%8D-los-a" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50%; border-width: 1px; height: 58px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 21.234568%;"></col><col style="width: 78.518519%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px; height: 29px;">📆</td><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px; height: 29px;">04/06/2018

</td></tr><tr style="height: 29px;"><td style="border-width: 1px; height: 29px; vertical-align: middle;">📍</td><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px; height: 29px;">San Antonio, Texas

</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### **Captured media details**

<table border="1" class="align-center" id="bkmrk-male-female-unknown-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 80%; height: 87.5px; border-width: 1px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 12.962963%;"></col><col style="width: 27.006173%;"></col><col style="width: 29.938272%;"></col><col style="width: 29.938272%;"></col></colgroup><thead><tr style="height: 29.5px;"><td style="border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td style="height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">**Male**  
</td><td style="height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">**Female**  
</td><td style="height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">**Unknown**  
</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">📸</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;"> </td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td></tr><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">🎙️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td></tr></tbody></table>

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### **Experiences &amp; anecdotes**

**5/22/22 -** *I love this bird. I see it often* during this time of year. It loves to perch on powerlines and survey fields and passersby. I recently saw nests of this bird at a local park. Shortly after this discovery, an intense storm occurred and I believe it wiped out the unsheltered nest (seen in the final photo below). Last week we discovered another nest, this time at a local pond, this one looked much more ready to withstand inclement weather.

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### **Captured media**

#### **Photographs**

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">**[![scissor-tailed-flycatcher2.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/scissor-tailed-flycatcher2.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scissor-tailed-flycatcher2.jpeg)**</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-an-american-kestrel--1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">This Scissor-tailed Flycatcher nest I discovered.</span>*</td></tr></tbody></table>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">  
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<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">[![scissor-tailed-flycatcher3.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/scissor-tailed-flycatcher3.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scissor-tailed-flycatcher3.jpeg)</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-a-poofed-up-kestrel-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 29px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="height: 29px; background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*A great example of the varying tail lengths due to age.*</td></tr></tbody></table>

<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">  
</span>

<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*[![scissor-tailed-flycatcher4.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/scissor-tailed-flycatcher4.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scissor-tailed-flycatcher4.jpeg)*</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-the-american-kestrel-1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*A mid-air view of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in flight*</td></tr></tbody></table>

<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*[![scissor-tailed-flycatcher5.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/scissor-tailed-flycatcher5.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scissor-tailed-flycatcher5.jpeg)*</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-this-one-perched-on-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*This one perched on the tree support stake in my front yard.*</td></tr></tbody></table>

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#### **Audio recordings**

- [**ML512356811**](https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/512356811)- 0:14 
    - *Listen to the song of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Their song serves as a nice ambient sound when I’m on the search for less conspicuous birds.*

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="392" src="https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/512356811/embed" width="320"></iframe>

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### **From my blogs**

- [Painted Buntings and Nesting Scissor-tailed Flycatchers](https://becausebirds.com/painted-buntings-and-nesting-scissor-tailed-flycatchers/)
- [Leading a bird walk at Pearsall Park with Bexar Audubon Society](https://becausebirds.com/leading-a-bird-walk-at-pearsall-park-with-bexar-audubon-society/)
- [Birding in Boerne](https://becausebirds.com/birding-in-boerne/)