A Flycatcher in Contrast

Eastern Kingbird. Photo: Matt Tobin

While the Empidonax Flycatchers (Acadian, Alder, Least, Willow, and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers) of Northern Illinois may be visually indistinct and difficult to characterize by sight alone, our summer-resident Eastern Kingbirds possess one of the most distinctive markings amongst North American birds: the white terminal band on their tails.  However, it turns out this is not the only high-contrast characteristic of the species.

Eastern Kingbirds are known scientifically as Tyrannus Tyrannus (family, species), and the redundancy of the name is indicative of the birds’ behavior.  From Cornell’s birdsoftheworld.org:

Kingbirds are well known for their aggressive nature. Indeed, Tyrannus means “tyrant, despot, or king,” in reference to their aggressive defense of nests and mates, and their domination of other birds.  

Eastern Kingbirds are known to attack and chase large raptors (Osprey, Buteos) that encroach on their defended space.  They expel foreign Brown-headed cowbird eggs from their nests. They’ve been known to drive Blue Jays into the ground, blitz mammals that they may deem threatening, and, of course, we Illinois birders have watched them defend their airspace against pesky Red-winged Blackbirds.  One striking description of Eastern Kingbirds is that they have been seen repelling human intrusions by raising a patch of red feathers on their crowns while simultaneously opening their beaks wide to reveal their dark oval throats set in a diamond shaped field of red.

Eastern Kingbirds at 8-9 inches long are nearly the length of an American Robin.  There is little visual difference between males and females, although males are known to perch more upright and display a subtle feather crest on their crowns.  Regarding plumage, the birds’ characteristic black and white coloring is sharply divided starting behind the upper beak, with the upper half of the bird black and the lower half white.  Upon close inspection, there is a faint gray band along the upper breast descending to the flanks.  While hidden, there is an orange, yellow, or red patch of feathers on the crown.  Perhaps if you sneak up on a nesting Kingbird, you will see that color quickly approaching.  The white terminal band set at the tip of the black tail is a sure way to confirm that you are looking at an Eastern Kingbird.

Seasonally, Eastern Kingbirds exhibit Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde feeding behavior.  On their summer breeding grounds, which range expansively from Florida to the Yukon (late May to late July in N. Illinois), they are almost exclusively insectivorous.  However, during the non-breeding season, the birds gather in Western South America, often in groups of 10-20 (more in overnight roosts), and forage solely on fruit.  In migration, the birds have also been observed in large flocks, up to thousands when crossing water barriers like the Gulf of Mexico.  The species is also thought to travel diurnally rather than nocturnally.  

In Lake County, we’ll see Eastern Kingbirds hunt by sallying from a perch, hovering, or sometimes kiting in a strong wind to prey on insects.  They tend to spend their time on the edges of forests, lakes, or riparian areas.  

We hope you have the chance to frequently observe Eastern Kingbirds this summer.  They are striking in appearance, and despite our tales, safe to observe from a distance.  Like other birds, their populations have declined over the past 50 years, but they are still described as widespread and common.  Their plumage and seasonally varied social and feeding behaviors offer a rich study in contrasts.  

*Note that much of the behavioral and scientific information in this piece is drawn from Cornell’s Birds of the World repository of information on the Eastern Kingbird.

Please send us your favorite Eastern Kingbird photo this summer, and we’ll pick some to feature on our website. Email (one photo per person only please) to dmkenski@gmail.com.