The Story
I photographed this Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) at Hato Barley in Tauramena, Casanare, Colombia. Males have an extremely long, forked tail, and females have a somewhat shorter one. It is often seen on open perches, from which it sallies after insects. Most are migratory, though some stay all year. Its breeding range runs from central Mexico to central Argentina. Migratory birds tend to have more pointed wings than those that stay put. Since 1995 royalties from Tauramena’s oil fields have funded much of its development. Tauramena lies in southwestern Casanare.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400. IUCN lists the Fork-tailed Flycatcher as Least Concern, with a stable population.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) belongs to the family Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List