Credit: nebirdsplus
North American field guide
Cassin's Kingbird
Tyrannus vociferans
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Identification
Field notes
23 cm (9") Fairly common. Western North America. Open country near bushes or wooded areas.
Dark gray head and breast. White contrasting chin. Dark grayish olive back. Dull yellow belly. Tail is all dark and may have a buff or white tip. Similar Western Kingbird has a white edged tail.
Song: call is a loud "chi-bew".
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Credit: Jamie Chavez
Credit: Mike Baird
Credit: Teddy Llovet
Credit: Doug Greenberg
Credit: Bill Bouton
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Videos
Cassin's Kingbird
Credit: Don DesJardinWhere it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Cassin's Kingbird
1 ruleRule 1 18 criteria · confidence 4
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
- None · Unknown
- What colour was the TAIL ?
- Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- Yellow · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- Yellow · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
- What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
- Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Songbird (ground or perching bird)
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States