Southern Fiscal

Very common resident. A heavy-bodied, heavy-billed, long-tailed, pied bird with white wing-bar extending to the shoulder; cf. [Fiscal Flycatcher], which has thinner bill and wing-bar that does not reach the shoulder. Female has rufous flanks (often difficult to see). Western race L. c. subcoronatus (a) has a variable white eyebrow; variations between eastern and western extremes also occur. Immature is ash-brown above; greyish brown below with fine barring. Call is a harsh ‘gercha, gercha…’ or ‘skiza, skiza…’; also a rambling song incorporating sweet notes and the characteristic ‘gercha’ sound. Perches conspicuously on a branch, post or wire, flying to the ground occasionally to seize insects and other small prey. Occurs singly or in pairs in lightly wooded country and suburbia.