Fun Swainson's Flycatcher Facts For Kids
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The Swainson's flycatcher (Myiarchus swainsoni) is a bird of the passeriformes order. This bird is found in South America, and in places such as Brazil during the winter season. These birds prefer to live in tropical or sub-tropical moist lowland forests, as well as in degraded grasslands and forests, since their diet can be easily fulfilled in any environment.
This omnivorous species feeds on insects and an occasional fruit or two, if the smell invites them as they hover over the forest canopy. This species, combined with other members of the family Tyrannidae, are especially known for their ability to catch flies and other insects with remarkable speed and vigor.
The extensive population of this species is stable, and a bird or two can easily be spotted if you happen to be at the right place at the right time.
While the Swainson's flycatcher location may be a little tough to pin point, they can easily be identified by the long tail, olive-brown or dark brown plumage and an underside that has the most beautiful shading of yellow and white colors!
For more relatable content, check out these blue jay facts and eastern kingbird facts for kids.
Swainson's Flycatcher Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Swainson's flycatcher?
The Swainson's flycatcher (Myiarchus swainsoni) is a bird of the Tyrannidae family.
What class of animal does a Swainson's flycatcher belong to?
The class of animals that the Swainson's flycatcher belongs to is scientifically called Aves, although, we may just as well classify them simply as birds.
How many Swainson's flycatchers are there in the world?
Unfortunately, there is no data that can tell us the current population number of the Swainson's flycatcher. Although, the conservation status of these resident birds of South America is Least Concern, suggesting that the population is stable and that they will be around for a long time to come.
Where does a Swainson's flycatcher live?
The Swainson's flycatcher habitat consists of tropical and sub-tropical lowland forests and dry forests. They may also be spotted in degraded forests around South America.
What is a Swainson's flycatcher's habitat?
The Swainson's flycatcher range map is largely contained within South America. These birds and the subspecies are resident species of places such as Brazil, Guyana, Ecuador and south-east Venezuela, especially due to migration during the winter season.
Who do Swainson's flycatchers live with?
The behavior of the Swainson's flycatcher and whether or not they are colonial birds is not known to us.
It is also unclear if they like to create flocks during the breeding season, however, the fact that these birds and its subspecies migrate over short distances is an indication that they might make small flocks within their range of habitat.
How long does a Swainson's flycatcher live?
While the average lifespan of the Swainson's flycatcher is not known, the lifespan of related species such as the Vermilion flycatcher is around four to five years and for the scissor-tailed flycatcher, the life span is around 10-15 years.
This gives us a fair idea of how long the Swainson's flycatcher may be able to survive in its wild habitat in Brazil and other regions of South America.
How do they reproduce?
While the exact breeding patterns of the Swainson's flycatcher species is not known, we do know that these birds only give birth to one brood in each breeding season.
The breeding birds build a nest within their range out of grass and twigs. The nest is usually made on a tree where three to four eggs are laid. The incubation period is not known, neither are the parenting dynamics.
What is their conservation status?
According to the IUCN Red List, the conservation status of the Swainson's flycatcher (Myicarchus swainsoni) is of Least Concern. This means that the population size of the species and its subspecies is stable, and that the habitat range is unlikely to face any rampant degradation in the course of a few decades.
Also since these birds also readily inhabit degraded forests and lowland areas, it would be difficult to completely eradicate the species.
Swainson's Flycatcher Fun Facts
What do Swainson's flycatchers look like?
The Swainson's flycatcher species from the Tyrannidae family, genus Myiarchus is fairly easy to spot due to a couple of features such as the dark brown or olive-brown upper plumage and an underside of yellow and white color. The length of the tail is large and the size of the bill is small.
The upper and lower mandibles are of different colors with the upper being a darker shade.
* We've been unable to source an image of a Swainson's flycatcher and have used an image of a flammulated flycatcher instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Swainson's flycatcher, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.How cute are they?
It is hardly a surprise that we find Swainson's flycatchers to be impeccably cute. The dark and pale colored upper and lower mandibles, as well as the beautiful yellow underside gives these birds the most adorable appearance.
How do they communicate?
Swainson's flycatcher calls are quite soft and melodious, especially during the breeding season.
How big is a Swainson's flycatcher?
The length of the adult Swainson's flycatcher is around 7.4-8.2 in (19-21 cm). For better perspective, a hermit thrush is only slightly smaller than these birds.
How fast can a Swainson's flycatcher fly?
While we do not know the Swainson's flycatcher flying speed, it can be assumed that since these birds have a large wingspan, the Swainson's flycatcher flight must be quite speedy and quick.
How much does a Swainson's flycatcher weigh?
The average weight of an adult Swainson's flycatcher is not known, but the weight of the similarly sized gray-crested flycatcher is around 0.074 lb (33.5 g), which gives us a fair idea of the weight of our friendly birds of the family Tyrannidae.
What are the male and female names of the species?
Since there are no distinct names for Swainson's flycatcher male and female individuals in the order Passeriformes, we lovingly refer to them as a male Swainson's flycatcher and a female Swainson's flycatcher.
What would you call a baby Swainson's flycatcher?
The Swainson's flycatcher baby is called the same name that is assigned to all babies in the oviparous class of Aves. These are hatchling, nestling, or chick. The first two names are given to a juvenile Swainson's flycatcher during the period when it is unable to fly and is dependent on its parents for food.
What do they eat?
The Swainson's flycatcher diet consists of insects and fruits that are found in abundance throughout the range map of the species. They are found to be hovering over fruits, or perched on trees in the forest in the look-out for a nice insect to feed on.
Are they dangerous?
There are no reasons or records that may inspire you into believing that Swainson's flycatchers (order Passeriformes) are dangerous. These beautiful, small birds are amiable and have not shown any aggression towards the same species, subspecies, or animals.
While they might be a little aggressive and dangerous towards the insects that they prey on, we can hardly hold it against them!
Would they make a good pet?
There is no available data that would suggest that the Swainson's flycatcher would not prove to be a good pet. They are known to be quite amiable creatures, and it is hardly a surprise if you are drawn to the beautifully colored Swainson's flycatcher feathers just like we are!
Did you know...
The occurrence of the population of this species in Brazil and Ecuador is limited to the austral winter monthswhen they migrate.
During the breeding season, as one of the pre-breeding rituals, the Swainson's flycatcher female makes a nest on the stump of a tree in a moist, lowland forest.
The Swainson's flycatcher (Myiarchus swainsoni) has been specified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. The range map of the genus is unlikely to face any severe degradation in the near future.
The number of Swainson's flycatcher eggs laid in each brood may range from three to four.
How did the Swainson's flycatchers get their name?
The Swainson's flycatcher (Myiarchus swainsoni) is named after the famous ornithologist, William John Swainson, who first spotted and gathered information about this bird species.
What sounds do Swainson's flycatchers make?
The sounds of Swainson's flycatchers (genus Myiarchus) are very soft and melodious, making them very attractive!
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our Anna's hummingbird facts and flycatcher facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Swainson's flycatcher coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in English Language and Literature
Shirin BiswasBachelor of Arts specializing in English Language and Literature
With a degree in English from Amity University, Noida, Shirin has won awards for oratory, acting, and creative writing. She has a wealth of experience as an English teacher, editor, and writer, having previously worked at Quizzy and Big Books Publishing. Her expertise lies in editing study guides for children and creating engaging content.
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