On July 24, 2021, I spotted a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher singing beside the auto tour road. I was at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma that morning. The bird had picked a weed for its perch, and I stopped to listen and take a few photos.
A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Singing From a Weed
The long, forked tail gave me a good look at the feature that gives this bird its name. Even from the road, that tail made the bird easy to recognize. The soft pink in its feathers was easier to appreciate once I got a closer look.
What I heard was a quick series of notes with quite a change in pitch. I could pick out low whistles, then hear higher notes mixed in among them. “Whistle” describes part of what I heard, but the whole song had more of a twitter to it.
Photographing the Singing Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Getting close enough for a photo can be tricky with these birds. I wanted a closer view, but I also wanted the flycatcher to stay on that weed and go on singing. I drove a short distance, stopped for a few pictures, then eased forward again.
Taking pictures at each stop gave me something to bring home even if the bird flew before I got closer. I got within about 30 feet. As far as I could tell, the flycatcher paid little attention to me. It kept up its song while I photographed it.
I took the photo at 8:23 that morning with my Canon EOS R5 and an 800mm lens. The lens has a fixed f/11 aperture. I set the shutter speed to 1/2000 second in manual mode and let the camera choose the ISO.
Gear Used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon EF 800 mm f/11
Technical:
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
- Date and Time Taken: July 24, 2021 (8:23 A.M.)
- Exposure Mode: Manual
- Aperture: f11 (Fixed)
- Shutter speed: 1/2000
- ISO: 1600 (Auto)
- Exposure Compensation: 0
- Focal Length: 800 mm
What I Remember About the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher’s Song
At the same refuge, I also photographed a Hovering Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. In that photo you can see the bird holding its place in the air. With this one, the part I most wanted to share was something the camera couldn’t pick up. If you come across a scissor-tail on a roadside perch, give it a little time. You might get to hear those low whistles for yourself.