Kis-ka-DEE, from the top of the fence post, over and over. The bird is as bold as the call: a big flycatcher in a yellow waistcoat with a striped bandit’s mask, watching the garden for anything that moves.
Where you’ll see it
Gardens, roadsides, pond and estuary edges, and any perch with a view. It likes people and does very well in town.
What to know
A flycatcher that has stopped limiting itself to flies. Kiskadees take insects, lizards, small fish snatched from the surface, fruit, and dog food from an unattended bowl. They are aggressive toward hawks and will mob anything that comes near the nest. The nest is a big untidy ball of grass and rubbish wedged into a fork, often right over the driveway.
