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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)

-Tyrant Flycatchers (Family Tyrannidae)

-Great Kiskadees (Genus Pitangus)

-Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)


This species is common. It is a large tyrant flycatcher. It lives in open woodland that has some tall trees, and is tolerant of cultivation and human habitation. Great kiskadees are commonly found in open woodland, scrub, thickets, streamsides, groves, parks and towns. Kiskadees can range from 21 to 26 cm in length. They are monomorphic, in that both males and females are quite similar. These birds are omnivorous; they can eat almost anything. The diet includes fish, frogs , beetles, wasps and other flying insects. as well as seeds fruits and berries. They have also ben seen to eat lizards, mice and baby birds.

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

Diet

  • Highly omnivorous, feeding on insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, dragonflies, bees, wasps, caterpillars, and termites.

  • Also eats small fish, frogs, lizards, snakes, mice, nestling birds, fruits, berries, and occasionally nectar.

  • Hunts by making aerial sallies, dropping from perches to the ground or water, and even catching fish near the surface.

Range

  • Found from southern Texas through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of South America to northern Argentina.

  • Widespread throughout Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is a common year-round resident.

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, woodland edges, riverbanks, mangroves, agricultural land, parks, gardens, towns, and suburban areas, usually near water or open clearings.

Male / Female

  • Male: Brown upperparts, bright yellow underparts, bold black-and-white striped head, concealed yellow-orange crown patch, stout black bill, and reddish-brown wings and tail. Slightly larger than the female.

  • Female: Nearly identical in plumage but generally a little smaller and less robust.

  • Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences or breeding behaviour.

Size

  • Length: 22–28 cm (8.7–11.0 in)

  • Wingspan: 35–40 cm (13.8–15.7 in)

  • Weight: 52–68 g (1.8–2.4 oz)

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