Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), Buckeye, Maricopa County

This Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was discovered by Dean and Joan Luehrs and Donna Smith half a mile east of Arlington School Road on the Arlington Canal Road on 04 June 2011 and it was photographed at the same time by Dean Luehrs.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a causal migrant and summer visitor to Arizona. It has nested twice, once a pair was found nest building near Dudleyville and once in Camp Verde where one mated with Western Kingbird and produced hybrid young.

Adult Scissor-tailed Flycatcher shares its long tail only with Fork-tailed Flycatcher.  Fork-tailed Flycatcher is very different in appearance, very rare in North America generally and is unrecorded in Arizona. Occasionally, molting kingbirds with missing central tail feathers are mistaken for immature Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.  Kingbirds have darker heads, yellower breasts and lack the black and white tail pattern of all ages of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. 

04 June 2011, photo by Dean Luehrs

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer