Tropical Kingbird

Overview

Tropical Kingbird: Large flycatcher with olive-gray upperparts, gray head, inconspicuous orange crown patch, pale throat, dark eye patch, and dark upper breast. Underparts are bright yellow. Wings and tail are brown. Feeds on insects, frogs, fruits and berries. Weak fluttering flight.

Range and Habitat

Tropical Kingbird: Breeds in southeastern Arizona. Spends winters south of U.S.-Mexico border, but also wanders widely, very rarely to Pacific coast. Preferred habitats include woodland borders, savannas, and riverside groves.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Tropical Kingbird aggressively defends its territory against intruders, including much larger birds such as toucans, hawks and frigatebirds.

During courtship displays, the male will perch and flaps his wings, sometimes lifting off from this position.

It sings a distinctive song, called the “Dawn Song,” beginning before sunrise and ending when the sun appears.

A group of kingbirds are collectively known as a "coronation", "court", and "tyranny" of kingbirds.

The Tropical Kingbird has a large range, estimated globally at 17,000,000 square kilometers. Native to the Americas and nearby island nations, this bird prefers shrubland, wetland, or forest ecosystems, though it can live on arable or pastureland and in urban areas. The global population of this bird is estimated at 50,000,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Tropical Kingbird is Least Concern.