scissortail

[ siz-er-teyl ]

noun

1. Also called scissor·tailed flycatcher [siz, -er-teyld]. a flycatcher, Muscivora forficatus, of the southern U.S., Mexico, and Central America, having a long, deeply forked tail. tails.
2. any of various other birds having a long, forked tail. tails.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scissortail¹

First recorded in 1830–40; scissor(s) + tail ¹

Example Sentences

On our first dip in the water, we saw a stunning array of fish ranging from yellow-striped snapper to blue iridescent scissortail damselfish.

From New York Times

A phoebe hollers from her nest; a scissortail flits between fence and field.

From Scientific American

Smaller birds went skimming over the prairie,—now a golden meadowlark, then a darker scissortail snipping the air off behind it in swift flight.

From Project Gutenberg