Birds · Passeriformes · Tyrannidae

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The great kiskadee is a species of passerine bird belonging to the family Tyrannidae, the only one in the monotypic genus Pitangus. It measures between 21 and 26 cm in length. The head is large, the wings long and the legs short. The bill is as long as the head and ends in a hook. The back and tail are greenish-brown. The head is black with two white stripes forming eyebrows; the throat is white. The breast and belly are bright yellow, and it has a hidden crown of the same colour. It is native to tropical America (the Neotropics), where it is widely distributed from the southern United States to central Argentina. It is very common in a variety of semi-open and open environments, rural and urban; it is less frequent in wooded regions, where it is more or less confined to the edges of lakes and rivers. It lives up to an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the species to be of least concern.

Weight

52 g – 68 g

Size

21 cm – 27 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaRainforestFreshwaterGrasslandOmnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Savanna Rainforest Freshwater Grassland

16countries 71parks3same family

Fun facts

GeneralIts three-note call gives it its name in nearly every country it lives in, English included.
Its name changes from country to country but always imitates its call: benteveo or bicho feo in Argentina, cristofué in Venezuela, bem-te-vi in Brazil, luis in Mexico, all of them transcriptions of the same three-syllable cry.
It fishes like a kingfisher: it dives into the water from a perch to catch fry and tadpoles, something remarkable in a tyrant flycatcher.
Its yellow crown is normally invisible: it only fans it out in territorial confrontations, and the rest of the time it stays hidden beneath the black feathers of the head.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Practically any open or semi-open habitat in tropical America, cities included
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 16 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitangus_sulphuratus