Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
- GenusTyrannus (Kingbirds)
- SpeciesTyrannus tyrannus (Eastern Kingbird)
About the Eastern Kingbird
The eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) is a large tyrant flycatcher native to the Americas. The bird is predominantly dark gray with white underbelly and pointed wings. Eastern kingbirds are conspicuous and are commonly found in open areas with scattered trees and bushes, where they perch while foraging for insects. The Eastern kingbird is migratory, with its breeding range spread across North America and its wintering range in Central and South America.
The eastern kingbird was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name of Lanius tyrannus. The present genus Tyrannus was introduced in 1799 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède with the eastern kingbird as the type species. The species is monotypic; no subspecies are recognised.
Adults are grey-black on the upperparts with light underparts; they have a long black tail with a white end and long, pointed wings. They have a red patch on their crown, seldom seen. They are of average size for a kingbird, at 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in), 33–38 cm (13–15 in) across the wings and weighing 33–55 g (1.2–1.9 oz).
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Recent sightings of Eastern Kingbird in Point Pelee National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Point Pelee National Park
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Least Flycatcher
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Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Alder Flycatcher
Empidonax alnorum
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Eastern Kingbird in Point Pelee National Park?
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Kingbird sighting in Point Pelee National Park, based on 10,908 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Eastern Kingbird in Point Pelee National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Eastern Kingbird in Point Pelee National Park in our monthly data.