Great Kiskadee

Overview

Great Kiskadee: Large flycatcher with brown upperparts, white head with black cap and eye-line, and bright yellow underparts. Yellow crown patch is usually concealed. Wings and tail are chestnut-brown. Black bill, legs and feet. Slow fluttering direct flight with shallow wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Great Kiskadee: Resident from extreme southern Texas (lower Rio Grande Valley) and southward. Preferred habitats include rivers, streams, and lakes bordered with dense vegetation; also found in open country and parks.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Great Kiskadee is aggressive, and will drive away larger birds entering its territory.
It will occasionally dive for fish in shallow water, making it one of the few fish-eating passerines.
One of its most feared predators is the coral snake; it will stay away from anything that has the same color pattern as the snake.
A group of kiskadees are collectively known as a "shower" of kiskadees.

The Great Kiskadee is a common bird with an omnivorous diet. These birds eat insects caught in-flight, or eat rodents and small vertebrates. This species also will dine on fish found in shallow water, fruit and tadpoles. Its breeding grounds are found in open woodlands, cultivated fields and near human habitats with tall trees. Specific areas range from south Texas and Mexico, Uruguay, central Argentina and Trinidad. Some populations have been introduced in Bermuda and Tobago as well. Nests are built in the high trees or telephone poles with a side entrance. The current conservation rating of the Great Kiskadee is Least Concern.