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The Eastern Kingbird has a blackish head, blue-black mantle and wings, and a black tail with a white band at the tip. They are white below, and have red feathers in the middle of the crown, although usually hidden by long feathers. They are a member of the flycatcher family, living in beaver ponds and, on occasion, near lakeshores or bogs. They feed mainly on dragonflies, relying on their great maneuverability and the abundance of these creatures in the beaver ponds.
They build their bulky nest of twigs, straw, and twine, lined with hair and rootlets, and place in a tree branch near water. These nests are usually fully exposed to predators. Females lay 3 to 5 spotted white eggs. The male Eastern Kingbird will perch in a high branch near the nest. When another bird flies into its territory, even a larger bird, it will attack fiercely, giving a piercing cry. They have been known to attack crows, ravens, and hawks. This aggressive behavior is where they get their names from, which translates roughly to “tyrants of tyrants”. If one member of the pair starts an attack, the other will usually join in.
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EASTERN KINGBIRD
Tyrannus tyrannus
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