the scissor-tailed flycatcher (tyrannus forficatus , also known as the texas bird-of-paradise and the swallowtailed flycatcher) is a long-tailed insectivorous (insect-eating) bird of the (tyrannus) genus , whose members are collectively referred to as kingbirds .
the kingbirds are a group of large insectivorous birds in the tyrant flycatcher (tyrannidae) family .
the scissor-tailed flycatcher is found in north and central america .
its former latin name was muscivora forficata .
the former genus name , muscivora , derives from the latin word for "fly" (musca) and "to devour" (vorare), while the species name forficata derives from the latin word for "scissors" (forfex) .
the scissortail now is considered to be a member of the tyrannus , or "tyrant-like" genus .
this genus earned its name because several of its species are extremely aggressive on their breeding territories , where they will attack larger birds such as crows , hawks and owls .
adult birds have pale gray heads and upper parts , light underparts , salmon-pink flanks and undertail coverts , and dark gray wings .
axillars and patch on underwing coverts are red .
their extremely long , forked tails , which are black on top and white on the underside , are characteristic and unmistakable .
at maturity , the male may be up to 15 in (38 cm) in length , while the female's tail is up to 30% shorter .
the wingspan is 15 cm (5.9 in) and the weight is up to 43 g (1.5 oz) .
immature birds are duller in color and have shorter tails .
a lot of these birds have been reported to be more than 40 cm (16 in) .
they build a cup nest in isolated trees or shrubs , sometimes using artificial sites such as telephone poles near towns .
the male performs a spectacular aerial display during courtship with his long tail forks streaming out behind him .
both parents feed the young .
like other kingbirds , they are very aggressive in defending their nest .
clutches contain three to six eggs .
in the summer , scissor-tailed flycatchers feed mainly on insects (grasshoppers , robber-flies , and dragonflies), which they may catch by waiting on a perch and then flying out to catch them in flight (hawking) .
for additional food in the winter they will also eat some berries .
their breeding habitat is open shrubby country with scattered trees in the south-central states of texas , oklahoma , kansas; western portions of louisiana , arkansas , and missouri; far eastern new mexico; and northeastern mexico .
reported sightings record occasional stray visitors as far north as southern canada and as far east as florida and georgia .
they migrate through texas and eastern mexico to their winter non-breeding range , from southern mexico to panama .
pre-migratory roosts and flocks flying south may contain as many as 1000 birds .
the scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of oklahoma , and is displayed in flight with tail feathers spread on the reverse of the oklahoma commemorative quarter .
