Alectrurus risora
The Strange-tailed Tyrant (Alectrurus risora) is an exceptionally striking member of the Tyrannidae family, renowned for the male's extraordinary elongated tail feathers, which can reach up to 30-35 cm, accounting for two-thirds of its total length of 30-50 cm. Males boast a glossy black crown, a contrasting white supercilium, a black back, a rufous rump, and clean white underparts, with their two central tail feathers being stiff, broad, and often held vertically or crossed, forming a distin...
Found exclusively in tall, wet grasslands, often seasonally flooded, and typically characterized by scattered shrubs, reeds, or low woody vegetation. It primarily inhabits low-lying, open plains, particularly within the Chaco and Mesopotamian grasslands.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates such as grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, and flies. It typically forages by sallying from low perches or gleaning from the ground and low vegetation.
This diurnal species is most active during the early morning and late afternoon, spending much of its time perched inconspicuously on tall grass stems or low shrubs, or foraging on the ground. Its foraging strategy involves sallying out to catch insects in flight, gleaning prey from vegetation, o...
The Strange-tailed Tyrant has a restricted and highly fragmented range in central-southern South America, primarily within the lowlands of the Chaco and Mesopotamian regions. Its core breeding grounds are found in northeastern Argentina (e.g., Corrientes, Chaco, Formosa, Santa Fe provinces), sout...
Endangered
- The male Strange-tailed Tyrant's tail feathers can be twice as long as its entire body, making it one of the most disproportionately long-tailed birds in the world. - Its scientific name, *Alectrurus risora*, refers to its unique tail: 'Alectrurus' means 'cock-tailed' and 'risora' potentially r...