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Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus
Koningstiran | Tirano dorso negro
The Eastern Kingbird is a black-and-white kingbird that breeds in North America and winters in South America. It passes through the guide area in spring and autumn in large flocks, which then eat much fruit. It can be seen from northern Mexico to Panama.
Voice
Usually silent on passage; sometimes a high, shrill dzeet or a sputtering, electric-sounding kitter-kitter-kitter.
Recording: Stanislas Wroza — CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · converted to mono · xeno-canto
Identification
19–22 cm. Head black, back and wings dark slate-grey. Tail black with a broad white terminal band. Underparts white, with a pale grey wash across the breast. An orange-red crown patch is usually concealed. Bill black, fairly short. Male and female are alike; young birds are browner above with a narrower white tail band.
Confusion species
Grey Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis is much paler grey above, with a heavier bill, a dark mask and a notched tail without a white terminal band. Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savana also has a black head, but a pale grey back and a very long, deeply forked tail; young birds with a shorter tail lack the white terminal band.
Habitat
On passage at forest edges, in secondary forest, gallery forest, the canopy of lowland forest, mangroves and semi-open country with trees. At this time it eats mainly fruit, which the flocks pluck from the treetops, as well as insects.
Where the bird is most at home, classified by the vegetation units of Mexico and Central America.
Range and movements
Passes through the whole guide area, from northern Mexico to Panama, mainly through the lowlands; in northern Mexico mainly along the Gulf coast. Outside the guide area a breeding bird over much of North America and a winter visitor to the western Amazon basin.
- Passage (Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov)
- dark = core range, pale = thinly spread
How and when to look
On passage it travels in flocks of tens to hundreds of birds, flying high over the forest or gathering in fruiting trees. The white terminal band on the black tail is then the best feature.
Conservation status
Not threatened. Common on passage; the breeding population in North America is gradually declining.
Scientific name
Tyrannus tyrannus | (Linnaeus, 1758)
Linnaeus described the species in 1758 as Lanius tyrannus; because it was later moved to another genus, the author and year stand in brackets. The genus Tyrannus was introduced in 1799 by De Lacépède. Tyrannus is Latin (from Greek turannos) for 'tyrant, despot', after the aggressive way these birds drive off even raptors. tyrannus is Latin for 'tyrant', after the ferocity with which the bird defends its territory against much larger birds. The specimen the first description was based on came from North America (later restricted to South Carolina).