North American kiskadee (SciiFii)

The North American kiskadee (Pitangus californianus), also known as the northern tyrant flycatcher, is a species of tyrant flycatcher, most closely related to the great kiskadee, that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, and open woodlands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The North American kiskadee is one of the largest of the tyrant flycatchers. It is 25 to 28 centimeters (9.8 to 11.0 inches) in length and weighs 53 to 71.5 grams (1.87 to 2.52 oz). 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. The North American kiskadee is a common, noisy and conspicuous bird. It is almost omnivorous and hunts 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 (such as other birds' chicks). It will also take prey (such as small lizards and frogs) and some fruit from vegetation by gleaning and jumping for it or ripping it off in mid-hover, and occasionally dives for fish or tadpoles in shallow water, making it one of the few fishing passerines. North American kiskadees like to hunt on their own or in pairs, and though they might be expected to make good use of prey flushed by but too large for the smaller birds of the understory, they do not seem to join mixed-species feeding flocks very often. When they do, they hunt in the familiar manner. Such opportunistic feeding behavior makes it one of the commonest SciiFii-created birds in urban areas in western and southwestern North America; its flashy belly and its shrill call make it one of the most conspicuous. This alert and aggressive bird has a strong and maneuverable flight, which it uses to good effect when it feels annoyed by birds of prey. The breeding season of the North American kiskadee is during mid-to-late spring. North American kiskadees are monogamous and defend a territory. Both sexes build the large domed nest that has a side entrance. It is chiefly composed of grasses and small twigs but can also incorporate lichen, string and plastic. The birds will 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 clutch is 3 to 4 eggs. These are moderately glossy, light yellowish cream in colour with purplish black and purplish brown spots. The average size is 27.9 mm × 20.0 mm (1.10 inches × 0.79 inches). Only the female incubates the eggs; the male guards the nest while she leaves the nest to feed. The eggs hatch after 16–17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge after 17–18 days. The conservation status of the North American kiskadee is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the North American kiskadee's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii