Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

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Identification

Field notes

20 cm (8") Common. Throughout most of North America. Open country, woodland clearings, orchards, farms, roadsides, wires.

Black above, white below with a conspicuous white band at tip of dark tail. Red crown patch is usually concealed.

Sits on exposed perches and sallies forth to snap up insects. Chases away much larger birds by diving on their backs.

Song: high squeaky chattering "kt'zee" and "zeer" calls sounding like electrical sparks.

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Eastern Kingbird

Credit: Larry Bond

Where 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 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Eastern Kingbird

2 rules

Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 6

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 ?: Light band at the tip · None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 ?: 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: 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 ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:859-eastern-kingbird:1:1 Source: 859 Eastern Kingbird, row 1

Rule 2 18 criteria confidence 3

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 ?: Light band at the tip · None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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 ?: 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 · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: 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

result:859-eastern-kingbird:2:1 Source: 859 Eastern Kingbird, row 2