Tyrant Flycatchers: Tyrannidae

Physical characteristics: The rose-throated becard is one of the more colorful members of the tyrant flycatcher family. It is a moderate sized bird about 6.5 to 7.3 inches (16 to 19 centimeters) long with strong black bills. Males and females look different. Males have a dark gray head, gray back, light gray undersides, and a bright rose-colored throat patch. Females are dark brown on top and tan underneath with no rose color on them at all. Young birds have the same color pattern as adult females.

Geographic range: Rose-throated becards live year round from northern Mexico through Panama in southern Central America. During spring and summer breeding season, they can also be found in the United States in southeastern Arizona and the Rio Grande valley of Texas.

Habitat: Rose-throated becards live along the edge of forests, in wooded canyons and mountainous areas. They prefer places with tall trees, such as sycamores (SIK-ah-mohrz), near open areas.

Diet: Rose-throated becards eat insects, insect larvae (LAR-vee), and some berries. They hawk for food, sitting on a perch, then flying out to snap an insect out of the air.

Behavior and reproduction: Rose-throated becards choose a single mate and lay two to six eggs once each year. Female do most of the nest building. The nest is round and hangs from a tree branch. Females incubate the eggs for just over two weeks. Both parents feed the young, which leave the nest around three weeks after birth.

Rose-throated becards and people: Rose-throated becards are attractive to birdwatchers, but have little other known importance to people.

Female rose-throated becards do most of the nest building and incubate the eggs, but the males help feed the young. (Illustration by Wendy Baker. Reproduced by permission.)

Conservation status: Large populations of rose-throated becards exist. They are not in immediate danger of extinction. ∎