How to attract scissor-tailed flycatchers to your yard
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 9 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. It arrives only to breed in 9, such as Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska and 3 more, so set up before spring arrival.
Plant what scissor-tailed flycatchers use
These native plants are tied to the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 8 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 8 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 7 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 7 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 7 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 7 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial | 5 | Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | 5 | Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 3 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 3 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (shrub, tree, perennial). Layering matters: mixing shrub, tree, perennial gives scissor-tailed flycatchers food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Grasshoppers and other large insects taken in the air.
- Warm months
- Grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and wasps
- Cold months
- Migrates to Mexico and Central America
- At feeders
- None — open country and scattered trees are the draw
Feeder style matters as much as food: shallow bird bath (1–2 in deep) is the first choice for this bird. Oklahoma's state bird. Perches on wires along rural roads; males sky-dance on spring mornings. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cup on an isolated tree limb or utility structure.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 3–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 13–16 days
- Nestling period
- 14–17 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around April in Louisiana but not until May in Oklahoma. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; a summer breeder won't appear until it returns in spring.
Frequently asked
What attracts scissor-tailed flycatchers to a yard?
Food they actually eat (none — open country and scattered trees are the draw), native plants such as American elderberry, Black cherry, Bur oak, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cup on an isolated tree limb or utility structure.
What plants attract scissor-tailed flycatchers?
Across the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher's range, the native plants most often tied to it are American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting scissor-tailed flycatchers?
Nesting starts around April in Louisiana and as late as May in Oklahoma. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.