8.5 inches long. The Eastern Kingbird is a large sized flycatcher with black upperparts and white underparts. There is a prominent white band on the tip of the black tail. The head is rather large and has a red crown patch on the top. This red patch is seldom visible.
The Eastern Kingbird is a common summer resident and breeder in the Forest. It appears in mid April and leaves by the end of September.
The Eastern Kingbird often perches in an exposed location where it can easily fly out and catch insects. It frequents open habitats such as agricultural areas and streams. Tyrannus means “tyrant, despot or king,” in reference to this bird’s aggressive defense of nests and mates, and its domination of other birds. This is a noisy bird that utters a grating high pitched “dzeet” call that is followed by a rapid “tzi, tzeet, tzi, tzeet, tzi, tzeet”.
Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Phil Swanson.