{"id":234402,"date":"2026-02-15T06:43:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T11:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/?post_type=fauna&#038;p=234402"},"modified":"2026-02-15T06:43:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T11:43:31","slug":"great-kiskadee","status":"publish","type":"fauna","link":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/faune-2\/great-kiskadee\/","title":{"rendered":"Great kiskadee"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pitangus sulphuratus<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":249915,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":""},"collection":[],"country":[11],"fauna-group":[27495],"fauna-type":[27217],"class_list":["post-234402","fauna","type-fauna","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","country-colombia","fauna-group-flycatchers","fauna-type-birds"],"acf":{"scientific_name":"Pitangus sulphuratus","animal_description":"The Great kiskadee (*Pitangus sulphuratus*) is a bold and boisterous member of the tyrant flycatcher family, instantly recognizable by its striking plumage and loud, onomatopoeic call that rings out as a sharp \"kis-ka-dee.\" This large, charismatic bird sports a vibrant lemon-yellow belly, a stark white throat, and a distinctive black-and-white striped head that resembles a bandit\u2019s mask, complemented by warm, rufous-brown wings and tail. Beyond its flashy appearance, the kiskadee is celebrated for its remarkable versatility as an opportunistic generalist; unlike many of its relatives, it possesses the unique ability to dive for fish like a kingfisher, pluck berries from trees, and even hunt small lizards or frogs. Fearless and highly adaptable, this \"bandit\" of the avian world is a common and energetic sight across wetlands, forests, and suburban gardens stretching from the southern United States all the way to Argentina.","animal_habitat":"This species occupies an extensive range stretching from the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas and northern Mexico through Central and South America, reaching as far south as central Argentina and Uruguay. It is also well-established in Bermuda, where it was introduced in the 1950s. Throughout this vast territory, it is a common and conspicuous presence in both tropical and subtropical zones, typically staying in lowland areas but occasionally found at higher elevations in the Andes.\n\nHighly adaptable, it thrives in a diverse array of environments, particularly open or semi-open areas with scattered trees. Preferred habitats include forest edges, scrublands, savannas, and riparian zones near rivers or lakes. It has also successfully integrated into human-altered landscapes, frequently appearing in agricultural fields, suburban gardens, and urban parks, provided there is sufficient vegetation and access to water.","animal_behavior_and_reproduction":"Highly territorial and boisterous, these birds are known for their aggressive defense of their space, frequently mobbing much larger predators to protect their domain. They typically live in monogamous pairs, maintaining strong social bonds through loud, persistent vocalizations. This social structure is defined by cooperative foraging and a bold, opportunistic temperament that allows them to thrive in diverse environments ranging from forest edges to urban settings.\n\nReproduction involves the construction of a large, dome-shaped nest with a side entrance, often built conspicuously in trees or on utility poles. While the female primarily handles the incubation of the two to five eggs, both partners share the duties of nest building and territory defense. Their reproductive strategy relies on this fierce protection of the nesting site, where the pair works together to harass and drive away any perceived threats to their brood.","diet":"The Great kiskadee is a highly opportunistic omnivore with a remarkably diverse diet that distinguishes it from many other flycatchers. While it primarily consumes a wide array of insects such as beetles, wasps, and dragonflies snatched mid-air, it also feeds heavily on seasonal fruits and berries. One of its most fascinating dietary habits is its kingfisher-like ability to dive into shallow water to capture small fish, tadpoles, and frogs. Furthermore, this bold bird is known to supplement its meals with small vertebrates like lizards and mice, and it will even raid the nests of other birds for eggs or hatchlings. Its adaptability extends to human environments as well, where it has been observed scavenging for pet food or picking scraps from outdoor tables, showcasing a versatile foraging strategy that allows it to thrive across various habitats.","colors":"The Great kiskadee features a bold black-and-white striped head, a white throat, and vibrant lemon-yellow underparts. Its back, wings, and tail are a rich rufous-brown, while a brilliant yellow crest remains mostly concealed within its black crown. These high-contrast head markings act as disruptive camouflage, helping the bird blend into sun-dappled foliage.","fun_facts":"Named for its loud, onomatopoeic call, the Great kiskadee is a bold opportunist that frequently mimics the hunting style of a kingfisher by diving into shallow water to snatch small fish and tadpoles. Despite being a flycatcher, its diet is incredibly diverse, ranging from lizards and large insects to fruit and even dog food stolen from backyard bowls. These birds are famously feisty and will fearlessly mob much larger predators, including hawks and snakes, to defend their territory. They also construct distinctive, messy nests shaped like large footballs with a single side entrance, often choosing conspicuous locations to assert their dominance in the landscape.","conservation_status_&_efforts":"The Great kiskadee is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, with a population that is currently stable and expanding its range northward. This flycatcher is remarkably adaptable, thriving in human-altered environments such as urban parks, gardens, and agricultural lands. Because it benefits from fragmented habitats and maintains a highly generalized diet, it faces no major immediate threats, though it may be locally affected by heavy pesticide use in intensive farming regions.\n\nDue to its robust population and broad distribution, there are no specific, targeted conservation programs currently in place for this species. It is protected under general wildlife legislation, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States, which prohibits the unauthorized take of native birds. Conservation efforts are largely indirect, focusing on the preservation of wetlands and the maintenance of diverse landscapes that support the insects and small vertebrates the species relies on for food.","endemic":false,"conservation_status":"Least Concern","ebird_link":{"url":"https:\/\/ebird.org\/species\/grekis","title":"View on Ebird","target":"_blank"},"animal_related_page":{"url":"https:\/\/animalia.bio\/great-kiskadee","title":"View on Animalia","target":"_blank"},"fauna_family":"Tyrannidae","fauna_known_nicknames":"Bem-te-vi, Benteveo, Cristofu\u00e9, Pitangu\u00e1, Qu'est-ce qu'il dit","fauna_average_length":"22\u201327 cm \/ 8.7\u201310.6 in","fauna_average_weight":"53\u201371 g \/ 1.9\u20132.5 oz","fauna_wingspan":"37\u201342 cm \/ 14.6\u201316.5 in","fauna_key_physical_feature":"Bold black-and-white striped head with a bright yellow belly and a concealed yellow crown patch","fauna_primary_diet":"Omnivore (Insects, small fish, amphibians, reptiles, and fruit)","fauna_geographical_range":"Southern Texas and Mexico through Central America to central Argentina","fauna_preferred_habitat":"Open areas with tall trees, forest edges, and urban parks, often near water","fauna_social_structure":"Solitary or in pairs; highly territorial and aggressive","fauna_breeding_site":"Large, bulky, globular nests made of grass and sticks, usually in trees or on utility poles","fauna_conservation_status":"Least Concern (LC)","fauna_population_trend":"Increasing","fauna_spanish_name":"Bichofu\u00e9","fauna_french_name":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna\/234402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fauna"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"collection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/collection?post=234402"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=234402"},{"taxonomy":"fauna-group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna-group?post=234402"},{"taxonomy":"fauna-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna-type?post=234402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}