Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are found in open grasslands with widely-scattered trees. It is a spectacular species, with long scissor-shaped tail feathers streaming behind or flared out into a forked tail shape resembling a Barn Swallow. Widmann (1907) provided no breeding records for Missouri, but suggested that several contemporary books mentioned southwestern Missouri as within the breeding range of this species. The range of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers has expanded well into northern and eastern Missouri since the turn of the century (Robbins and Easterla 1992). The conversion of forest to grassland in south central Missouri may have contributed to this species' expansion eastward into that area where it has become a regular nester in Howell and Oregon counties.

Code Frequency

More confirmed breeding records were reported for this species than possible or probable records. Because this is a conspicuous species that nests in open situations, and nests are built in small trees that are relatively easy to find, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were probably absent from blocks where they were not recorded. Additionally, post-breeding dispersal may account for some of the outlying records. Activity around the nest accounted for most of the confirmed records rather than nests with Eggs: or young. This may have been due to Atlaser reluctance to disturb the nests or because nests were too high above the ground for surveyors to observe nest contents.

Average Number of Birds / 100 stops

Distribution

The percentage of blocks where this species was reported was highest (80 percent) in the Springfield Plateau Natural Section, followed by the Elk River Natural Section (69 percent), and the Osage Natural Division (66 percent). Although scattered observations were reported from northern Missouri, most nests were located south of the Missouri River. This species had one of the most restricted breeding ranges of any species that was recorded in at least 200 blocks.

Abundance

As expected, the highest relative abundance was recorded in the Osage Plains Natural Division. The only other area where this species was observed was in the Ozark Natural Division, with most records originating from the western edge of that division in southwestern Missouri.

Phenology

Atlasers noted the first individual on April 15, but most nest building occurred May 8-June 25. Atlas observations correspond to an April-July egg-laying period described by Terres (1987). Because this species is considered single-brooded (Ehrlich et al. 1988), late nesting dates such as August 3 may have involved a renesting attempt rather than a second brood.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 201 (16.7%) of 1,207 blocks

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