Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Pronounced (approx.): tye-RAN-us tye-RAN-us
Often flies out from an exposed perch to catch insects.
Three Identification Clues
Dark gray to blackish upperparts contrast with white underparts.
A bold white band tips the squared black tail.
A large head and upright posture are useful shape clues.
Field Photographs
Showing 8 of 11 photographs.
Beyond the first impression
Plumage & Identification
Find the white edge of the tail
The squared black tail ends in a contrasting white band. Pair that mark with the large dark head, gray-black back, and white underparts. An upright bird on a wire or bare branch offers a useful view of its proportions. [1]
Watch what happens after it leaves the perch
A kingbird often flies out after an insect and returns to the same lookout. Compare the tail pattern and sturdy outline with our Eastern Phoebe guide. Repeated hunting flights help connect a brief view to the perched bird. [1]
Life history
How This Bird Lives
Where to look
Scan fence lines, scattered trees, and shrubs around fields or wetlands. Breeding birds favor open space with hunting perches, including trees along water. In winter they use South American forest canopies, a very different setting from an open northern pasture. [2]
Food & foraging
Beetles, wasps, bees, and other flying insects provide much of the breeding-season food. Large prey may be beaten against a perch before swallowing. Fruit becomes more important in late summer and migration and supplies most of the winter diet. [2]
A sturdy nest and a long period of care
The female builds a substantial cup of stems, roots, and other fibers in a tree. Fine materials soften the interior. A clutch contains 2–5 eggs; incubation lasts about 14–17 days and young remain in the nest for roughly 16–17 days. [2]
Leaving the nest does not end parental care. Adults feed their young for about seven weeks overall, helping explain why a pair generally raises one brood in a season. Give nesting pairs space rather than approaching for a closer photograph. [3]
Did you know?
A Closer Look at Eastern Kingbirds
A crown usually kept out of sight
Yellow, orange, or red feathers form a concealed crown patch. A defensive display can expose it, although the head normally looks entirely dark. [3]
Small bird, formidable defender
Kingbirds chase much larger birds, including hawks and crows, near their territories. Their scientific name, Tyrannus, reflects this forceful behavior. [3]
Insect remains become pellets
Both adults and nestlings regurgitate pellets containing tough insect parts. Pellet production is not restricted to owls or other birds of prey. [3]
Sources: [1] Cornell · Identification [2] Cornell · Life history [3] Cornell · Species overview
Range & Sightings
Keep Learning
Compare several photographs and listen to recordings to connect appearance with voice.