[3] Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

[4] When Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition in 1766, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson.

[6] Two subspecies are recognized; they are sometimes treated as distinct species but widely intergrade where their ranges meet:[7] This is a robust, short-tailed bird with a long, hook-tipped bill; like other tityras, it has a peculiar vestigial ninth primary feather.

Black-tailed tityras are most commonly seen in pairs, or, less frequently, single or in small groups; they are intolerant of other birds and will try to chase them away.

While some large insects are caught, these are mainly fed to young birds; adults are predominantly frugivores and locally important dispersers of such species as the Meliaceae Cabralea canjerana.

This species rarely attends mixed-species feeding flocks even when provisioning young, preferring to forage for insects on its own high up in the trees.

[8] Its main breeding season appears to be from November to March across its range, but occasional nesting birds can be encountered almost year-round at least in some regions.