| 1. | any of numerous Old World birds of the family Muscicapidae, that feed on insects captured in the air. |
| 2. | Also called tyrant flycatcher. any of numerous similar American birds of the family Tyrannidae. |
| tyrant flycatcher n. See flycatcher. |
tyrant flycatcher
any of about 367 species of aggressive, insect-eating New World birds of the family Tyrannidae (order Passeriformes). About one-third of the species are not flycatcher-like in habit and bear names derived from their habitats (e.g., bush tyrant, marsh tyrant) or from their similarity to the songbird groups (tit-tyrant, shrike-tyrant). A few are named for their bill shape (spade bill, flat bill, bent bill). Many have common names not suggestive of their appearance (e.g., phoebe, pewee, kingbird).
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