Loggerhead Kingbird

An elegant sooty-brown swallow with a distinctive long and deeply forked tail. Plumage has a greenish gloss if seen well. Female and juvenile have shorter tails, and the latter is brownish. Resident in some areas; in others, occurs only in the breeding season. Pairs prefer foraging over clearings and the edges of evergreen forest, open woodland, and cultivation, usually near water. Not very vocal, but emits faint squeaky notes and trills. The only other sawwing in Fanti’s range is Square-tailed, which has a much shorter, square-ended tail. 

The male is a flying gem of iridescent colors. The female is all gray with a black tail. The bill is long and downcurved, adapted to extract nectar from flowers. Normally found on flowering trees and bushes; often hovering. Favors urban and suburban gardens, but also natural habitats including arid zones, where it can be locally abundant. The male gives a beautiful series of musical whistles with local dialect variations.

A stout inhabitant of wet montane forests; sometimes ventures into orchards. This species often appears green with a bluish head, though a variable amount of red is present on the chest and belly. In overflight, a small red patch on each wing can be seen above and below. No other parrots occur within its range, and no parrot commonly kept in captivity resembles this species. Calls include a somewhat sharp “ka-chuck” and plaintive “ay-uh.”