Species guide
Cattle Tyrant: how to recognise it
A bird of North America and South America. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Ad Konings · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Machetornis rixosa
- Family
- Tyrant Flycatchers
- Size
- About 18–20 cm
- Habitat
- Open grassland, pastures and farmland
- Found in
- North America and South America
The key marks
A slim, long-legged flycatcher with a grey-brown back, yellow underparts and a hidden orange crown patch.
Voice
Short, sharp, whistled notes.
Good to know
It follows grazing cattle on foot and catches the insects they stir up.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in open grassland, pastures and farmland. It is especially common in Argentina. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.