Fun Great Kiskadee Facts For Kids

The great kiskadee is a bird (species of flycatchers) that belongs to the family Tyrannidae. It is the family of tyrant flycatchers. These bold birds are beautiful to look at, with alternate black and white patterns and a yellow belly. Their wings have brown or reddish shades. These wings are broad, while the tail of a great kiskadee is of medium length. These flycatchers also sport a big brown head. They are known to aggressively guard their nest on the top of the trees.

These birds are found throughout central Argentina and central America. They breed from March till May and are the only species of songbirds that flight for fish in their diet. The calls of these birds are unique, and they are named so because of their kis-ka-dee tune. One of the biggest enemies of these flycatchers is coral snakes, and they tend to avoid such habitats. These birds have a black mask on their face that helps in reducing the reflections from the sun.

You may also check out these fact files on the hoatzin and pink robin from Kidadl.

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What type of animal is a great kiskadee?

Great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus), is a bird that belongs to the family of tyrant flycatchers. This species of birds have a unique kis ka dee call and bold, bright color.

What class of animal does a great kiskadee belong to?

Great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) is a bird with a brown head from the Animalia kingdom. It belongs to the order Passeriformes family Tyrannidae. These birds are bold, colorful, and hail from the family of tyrant flycatchers.

How many great kiskadee are there in the world?

The great kiskadee is a bird from the order Passeriformes family Tyrannidae. The approximate population of this bird is 60,000 in the world. They are found commonly in their local range or habitat and have noisy calls.

Where does a great kiskadee live?

The range of a great kiskadee is mainly near the water bodies of the world. They love the calm waters of the streams or rivers. Their habitats range from suburban areas to deciduous or moist forests. These birds avoid the unbroken forests and reside in semi-open habitats like those available in the tropics. Southern Texas is one such place where you will notice large flocks of these bird species. They build their nest on trees of elm or hackberries. The birdwatchers who visit Texas are very lucky!

What is a great kiskadee habitat?

The range of habitat of this bird species is spread throughout central and south America. Their habitats extend from southern Texas to the north of Mexico. In southern Texas, the population of this species of flycatchers is found throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The riverine forests to the south of Texas are perfect for these birds. In South America, these birds are found to the north of Mexico, Uruguay, and Argentina. These birds choose trees of the open woodlands to build their nest.

Who do great kiskadee live with?

The great kiskadee, known for its kis-ka-dee call, is a solitary bird. The bright yellow pattern of this bird is very uncommon not only in North America but in the world too.

How long does a great kiskadee live?

Great kiskadee's that belong to the order Passeriformes family Tyrannidae live for 7-8 years. These birds from south Texas have a unique call making them famous in the world.

How do they reproduce?

Great kiskadee's (which are north American birds) belong to the flycatcher family. Their noisy mating system begins in March. The females lay eggs between March and May. With the onset of March, both the males and females of this bird species build their nests. During early or late march, these birds lay about 2-5 eggs, which hatch by May or June. After the eggs hatch, both the parent birds take care of the chick. Both the birds do their bit to feed the young one living in the nest. Although their breeding details are unclear, the nest site of these species is located on top of trees.

What is their conservation status?

The great kiskadee's, known for their unique kis-ka-dee call, are quite common in their local habitat. These birds from south Texas, which belong to the flycatcher family, have a conservation status of ‘Least Concern.’

This conservation status indicates that the population of these birds is quite stable in the world.

What does great kiskadee look like?

Great kiskadee's are the members of the flycatcher family. These North American birds have brown heads. Their bodies have a unique color pattern. This color pattern includes shades of bright yellow on the body and alternate stripes of black and white on its crown. Such bright colors make it uncommon. The wings and tails of these birds have a brown color. The wings are shaped broad, while the tail is more rounded. These birds have a black-colored bill, which is thick and short. It shares common colors with other tyrant flycatchers, like the social flycatcher. The social flycatcher also sports a black bill.

How cute are they?

Great kiskadee belongs to the Tyrannidae family. Like all other members of the flycatcher family, these birds are very cute. They have a special kis-ka-dee call, which is very sweet. Their bright color of yellow shade is beautiful.

How do they communicate?

The great kiskadee of south Texas is a member of the flycatcher family range from America. This species of birds communicate among themselves through loud vocalizations. These sounds are so loud that you can hear them from great distances.

How big is a great kiskadee?

The range between which the length of a great kiskadee lies is 9.8-11 in (25-28 cm). Their size is slightly larger than other flycatchers. This makes them two times smaller than a bald eagle.

How fast can a great kiskadee fly?

The exact speed of these birds is unknown. But it has been reported that its flight is maneuverable, and it is a very alert flyer.

How much does a great kiskadee weigh?

The range between which the weight of these birds lies is 1.8-2.5 oz (53-72 g). These flycatchers are approximately two times heavier than a magpie.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names for the males and females of this species. They are commonly called great kiskadee.

What would you call a baby great kiskadee?

The babies of these birds are called chicks.

What do they eat?

Great kiskadee mostly eat insects. Their diet is made up of insects such as beetles like atlas beetles, bees, wasps. Lizards, baby birds, small fish, mice are also there in their diet. These yellow birds are occasionally seen diving for fish. Great kiskadee are of those few passerines that eat fish.

Are they dangerous?

Great kiskadee are North American birds that belong to the Tyrannidae family. These flycatchers are not at all dangerous to humans.

Would they make a good pet?

No, these flycatchers should not be kept as pets. According to the great kiskadee bird guide, their habitat and diet of live insects make them difficult birds to pet. These birds prefer trees in open areas to build a nest.

Did you know...

A bird guide of North America has portrayed these yellow birds as bold, which makes their presence felt to their neighbors. This bird is very colorful and has a brown head.

An interesting fact about these crown birds is that they are often seen to take flight for fish. It is one of those few songbirds that have fish in their diet. These birds, with unique calls, are known to be aggressively defending their territory. Their nests are in the shape of a cup and have a dome-shaped roof.

Is great kiskadee only bird to its bird genus?

Yes, the great kiskadee, which has its habitat in America, is the only member in its genus. This bird belongs to the family Tyrannidae. These flycatchers, along with lesser kiskadee, once belonged to the same genus. But later on, the lesser kiskadee was removed and put in a separate genus.

What does kiskadee mean?

The great kiskadee birds are named after their unique call. It is a call that is made of three syllables and is known as kis-ka-dee calls. These birds are unique with their yellow underparts.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these blue grosbeak facts and clapper rail facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Great Kiskadee coloring pages.