Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis

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Identification

Field notes

20 cm (8") Common. Southwestern Canada, western United States. Open country, orchards, roadsides, wires, ponds, streams.

Ashy gray back tinged with olive; pale gray head, throat and upper breast; bright lemon yellow belly; black square-tipped tail has white outer feathers which may be difficult to see. Orange-red crown patch is usually concealed. Bill is much shorter than in Tropical and Couch's Kingbirds.

Song: noisy chattering "kit" calls.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

5 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Playing Cricket - Chimineas Ranch, San Luis Obispo Co., CA April 26, 2009

Credit: Bill Bouton

Ballinger Canyon Road, Santa Barbara Co., CA, USA. April 26, 2012

Credit: Bill Bouton

Kern National Wildlife Refuge, California - April 30, 2010

Credit: Maggie Smith

Feeding young - Bosque del Apache NWR; July 15, 2008

Credit: Mark Watson

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Western Kingbird

Credit: Larry Bond

Western Kingbird at Ewam Buddhist Center

Credit: Radd Icenoggle

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.

Western Kingbird

2 rules

Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 5

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 outer edge or corners · None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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 · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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 · 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

result:858-western-kingbird:1:1 Source: 858 Western Kingbird, row 1

Rule 2 18 criteria confidence 1

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 outer edge or corners · None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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 · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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 · 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 ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:858-western-kingbird:2:1 Source: 858 Western Kingbird, row 2