The Great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) is a noisy perching bird, a member of the tyrant flycatcher family. It lives in the Americas and was described and illustrated in 1648 by the German naturalist Georg Marcgrave. The part of its scientific name is Latin and means 'sulphur', describing the yellow color of the underparts of the bird.
The adult Great kiskadee is one of the largest of the tyrant flycatchers. The head is black with a strong white supercilium and a concealed yellow crown stripe. The upperparts are brown, and the wings and tail are brown with usually strong rufous fringes. The bill is short, thick, and black in color.
Great kiskadees occur from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas south through Central America to southern Argentina. They do not occur in Chile. These birds live in a wide range of habitats, from open grassland with scattered trees to urban areas. They like to breed in open woodland with some tall trees, including cultivation, and around human habitation.
Great kiskadees are diurnal and noisy birds. They hunt like a shrike or flycatcher, waiting on an open perch high in a tree to sally out and catch insects in flight or to pounce upon rodents and similar small vertebrates. They will also glean and jump for seeds and fruit from vegetation or ripping it off in mid-hover; they can also occasionally dive for prey in shallow water, making it one of the few fishing passerines. Kiskadees like to hunt on their own or in pairs, and they do not join mixed-species feeding flocks very often. When they do, they hunt in a similar manner. Kiskadees are alert and aggressive and have a strong and maneuverable flight, which they use to good effect when they feel annoyed by raptors. They can attack even much larger birds, usually by diving down or zooming straight at them while they are in mid-air. Harsh calls are also often given during these attacks, alerting all potential prey in the area of the predator's presence.
Great kiskadees are monogamous; they form strong pair bonds that defend their territory. Both partners build a large domed nest that has a side entrance. It is composed of grasses and small twigs but can also incorporate lichen, string, and plastic. The birds can even steal material from other nests. The nest is placed in a wide range of sites, often in an exposed position high up in a tree or on man-made structures. Occasionally the nest is placed in a cavity. The female then lays a clutch of 3-4 eggs and incubates them alone; the male guards the nest while she leaves the nest to feed. The eggs hatch after 16-17 days. The chicks are blind and helpless when they hatch. They are fed by both parents and fledge at the age of 17-18 days.
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