A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher eating a butterfly became the highlight of my drive at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. I first spotted the bird perched on a branch near the auto tour road.
That quiet perch did not stay quiet for long. As I watched through the lens, the bird flew out, caught a butterfly, and returned to the branch to eat it.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher With Butterfly On Its Perch
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher had only been perched a short time when the action happened. It launched from the branch, caught the butterfly, and came back with the prey in its beak.
I was able to make a photo before the bird consumed it. I wanted to know what kind of butterfly it had caught, so I sent the photo to my friend Mia McPherson.
Mia confirmed that the butterfly was a Viceroy Butterfly.
That interested me because Viceroy Butterflies look similar to Monarch Butterflies. Monarchs are toxic to many birds. Birds that eat one may get sick and learn to avoid them.
This Scissor-tailed Flycatcher showed no hesitation with the Viceroy. It ate the butterfly without any obvious issue.
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers eat a wide range of prey. Their diet includes insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and dragonflies. They are also known to eat spiders, small lizards, and sometimes small fish.
I have photographed this species with other prey too, including this Scissor-tailed Flycatcher With Grasshopper.
Photographing A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher With Butterfly
This all happened from the auto tour road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. I was already scanning the nearby trees and fields for movement when I saw the flycatcher.
The roadside perch helped. I could stop, steady myself, and get the camera on the bird before it made its move.
The important part was staying with the subject. Once the bird flew, caught the butterfly, and returned, I only had a short window before it ate the prey.
The photo was taken at 10:21 A.M. on April 30, 2023, in Oklahoma.
Gear used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Camera settings:
- Aperture: f8
- Shutter speed: 1/2500
- ISO: 1000, Auto
- Focal length: 500 mm
Why This Flycatcher Moment Stood Out
This was one of those encounters that gave me both a photo and a question. I expected to photograph a perched Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Instead, I watched it catch a butterfly and return with it.
That is what I enjoy about wildlife photography. Sometimes a single photo leads to a closer look at behavior I might have missed.
I love this photo and this species.