A distinctive South American grassland bird, the Strange-tailed Tyrant is from Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. The male’s ribbon-like tail, longer than its body, is its most famous feature. To attract females, birds create elaborate courtship displays with feathers up to three times their length. However, the female blends into the grassy landscape with a shorter tail and less color.

Tall, undisturbed grasslands are its breeding and feeding habitat, making it highly specialized. The Strange-tailed Tyrant eats mostly insects it catches in flight or from foliage. Though stunning, its large tail feathers do not appear to impair its flight ability. Males flutter their tails dramatically to impress possible partners during mating season, making these birds most visible.

Unfortunately, habitat degradation makes the Strange-tailed Tyrant near threatened. Land modification from grasslands to farms has greatly diminished its breeding sites. Conservation efforts focus on conserving grasslands and preventing this rare species from declining.

Grassland protection in South America is crucial because the Strange-tailed Tyrant is habitat-dependent and vulnerable to environmental changes.