scissortail

American  

[siz-er-teyl] / ˈsɪz ərˌteɪl /

noun

1. Also called scissortailed flycatcher.  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.

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Etymology

Origin of scissortail

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 • Apr. 24, 2018

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 The Wrong Woman by Stewart, Charles D.