From Opus

Photograph: Marysan
Location: Lake Murray, San Diego, CA, USA

Tyrannus vociferans

[edit] Identification

21-23cm. Adults have a gray head with slightly darker cheeks; a dark unforked tail with a buffy fringe and gray-olive underparts. They have a pale throat and yellow lower breast. Juveniles are duller and have pale edges on their wings.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds from southern California east to extreme southern Utah and Wyoming; extreme western Texas south through central Mexico. Winters from Southern California south along western Mexico and Baja California to Honduras. Accidental vagrant in the eastern United States and north of range. Casual vagrant to most of Texas.

[edit] Taxonomy

Consists of two subspecies.

[edit] Subspecies¹

• T. v. vociferans - Highlands of southwestern Mexico
• T. v. xenopterus - Breeds from western US to central Mexico; winters south to Honduras

[edit] Habitat

Dry open areas with scattered trees or powerlines, savanna.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes flying insects and fruit.

[edit] Vocalisation

• The call is a high-pitched shorter followed by a longer chirp, sounding like a 'chi-beer'.

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

[edit] External Links