Monday, June 13, 2011

Eastern Kingbirds out West

Sleek.
Elegant.
Monochromatic beauty.
Aerial dexterity.

Named the "Eastern" Kingbird because of its strong eastern population in North America, yet it is seen with some regularity in all the western states and provinces too.  Looking at the eBird sightings map below, it looks like the highest concentration of reports of the Eastern Kingbird comes from a swath through the Great Plains down to Louisiana.

I've always known it to be a flying insect eating-machine, but AllAboutBirds.org informs me that along the Amazon in winter they eat fruit.  Kinda ruins their street cred.

5 comments:

  1. Beautiful shots of the Eastern Kingbird Robert! We had one spotted here in northern California (only the third record in Shasta County) but I was a day late getting to its location :-( That work thing sure gets in the way alot.

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  2. @Larry - I saw your post about the rare Eastern Kingbird in California and had to chuckle knowing this post was scheduled. In Idaho and Utah you can just about count on seeing them each Spring, but further west must be more challenging.

    @MaineBirder - Thanks! Love you photography and Ruby-throated Hummer post today!

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  3. Wonderful bird and wonderful pictures. Nice to see also its distribution. I guess i will not see it around ;-) Nice new purchase you did. Please let me know how good they are. i'm looking for a new pair too, but not too expensive ;-)

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  4. I just saw one of these birds today at the bog! it an seeing them quite regularly there and in other spots around the New England. Haven't seen any in my yard as of yet. Nice shots! as always, great info and great use of the eBird data base!

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