SUIRIRI (AS KNOWN IN BRAZIL)

Tyrannus melancholicus

The Tropical Kingbird is found throughout Brazil and is very well-adapted to large
urban centers. It measures between 7 and 9,6 inches and weighs between 1 and
1,5 ounces. Its head plumage is gray, its chest is yellow with a blurred gray
coloration on its upper chest, and it also has a dark transocular stripe.
It is brave and territorial. It chases away any bird that might threaten it, such as
hawks, vultures, and crows. It feeds on various insects caught in mid-flight. It
arrives at its perch early in the morning and remains there throughout the day. It
leaves the perch, captures the insect, and returns to the same spot, where it
finishes killing its food by striking it against a wire or branch. It uses small twigs
and dry tendrils in its nest. It lays up to 3 white eggs with reddish markings, which
are incubated for up to 17 days. Usually, the couple receives help from other birds
in the flock to deter predators.
It lives in groups of up to two dozen Tropical Kingbirds, which can be seen
perching closely, sometimes alongside Fork-Tailed Flycatchers. An interesting
observation is that individuals tend to choose the same times and places for their
chirping.