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GREAT KISKADEE
  Bird Call
| Characteristics: |
23 cm long and weighs approx. 61 g. The Great Kiskadee is one of the most common and well-known birds in Brazil. It is a robust species with a long, strong bill. The crown is black with a wide, white eyestripe around the entire upper head. A black strip stretches below this stripe from the base of the bill to the throat. When excited, the bird splays the feathers on its black cap to reveal a dark yellow or orange coloured stripe that otherwise remains hidden. The back of the bird is brown from the nape to the tail. The underparts are usually white at the throat becoming a bright yellow on its breast and belly. Its legs are black like its bill. Its irises are dark brown. Both the female and male have identical colouring.
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| Calls: |
Its bem-te-vi call gives the bird its name in Brazil, which translated from Brazilian Portuguese means "I did see you!"
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| Habitat: |
The Great Kiskadee inhabits open territory with isolated trees, forests (secondary forest, coppices that have regrown) and gardens as well as other habitats. It can even be found on beaches, marshes and areas of human habitation.
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| Distribution: |
This species is widespread across all tropical regions of the Americas from Southwest Texas to Northern Argentina.
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| Biology: |
The Great Kiskadee catches insects during flight but also feeds on small fresh water fish, tadpoles and fruits. In also pillages other birds' nests. It is a very adaptable bird that is able to continuously source new sources of food. It builds a large closed nest with a side entrance from dry grass, cotton strands and fine twigs. It robs some of this material from other birds' nests.
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