|
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Family: Tyrannidae (Flycatchers)  |
Description: This perching bird has a gray back, dark head, and white underparts. Male has red crown patch that is barely visible. You can distinguish the Eastern Kingbird from similar species by the white band at the end of the tail. Kingbirds are aggressivly territorial. A male will live up to his "tyrant" name and attack invading hawks or crows to defend his territory with vigor. The Eastern Kingbird is known to harass Bald Eagles and peck at the heads of an invading hawk midflight in order to drive them away. Flycatchers hunt not only flies, but they also prey on stinging insects like wasps and bees, ants, grasshoppers, beetles and bugs by snapping their bill on them mid-flight. Nesting: Nest is large open cup of grasses built by both sexes located mid-way in the forest canopy, a safe distance high up in a tree. The female incubates a single brood of 3-5 eggs. Range: (May - September) Breeds from southwestern and north-central British Columbia, southern Quebec, to Northeastern California, and Florida. Winters south to Columbia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
|
|
|
|
||
