Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus (Linnaeus, 1758)

40 gWeight

The eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) is a large tyrant flycatcher native to the Americas.

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Canada, Panama

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Eastern Kingbird has been recorded at 1,191 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 32 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Parker River NWRUnited States14,578 records
  2. Point Pelee National ParkCanada14,155 records
  3. Magee Marsh – BoardwalkUnited States13,609 records
More places
  1. Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Lincoln Park, ChicagoUnited States9,645 records
  2. Tawas Point SPUnited States9,313 records
  3. Bombay Hook National Wildlife RefugeUnited States9,079 records
  4. John Heinz NWR – impoundmentUnited States8,011 records
  5. Edwin B. Forsythe NWRUnited States7,110 records
  6. Sabine WoodsUnited States6,710 records
  7. Prospect ParkUnited States6,649 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaPanamaMexicoBelizeCosta RicaColombiaPeru

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

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.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Eastern Kingbird?

The Eastern Kingbird weighs around 40 g.

Where does the Eastern Kingbird live?

Its breeding range: North America: widespread. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Panama.

When is the best time to see the Eastern Kingbird?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Eastern Kingbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Eastern Kingbird as Least Concern.

What does the Eastern Kingbird eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Eastern Kingbird in?

It belongs to the family Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura (Tyrannidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
40 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
117 mm
Tail
88 mm
Bill
22 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Genus
Tyrannus

Other birds in the genus Tyrannus

Snowy-throated KingbirdSnowy-throated KingbirdTyrannus niveigularisWhite-throated KingbirdWhite-throated KingbirdTyrannus albogularisTropical KingbirdTropical KingbirdTyrannus melancholicusCouch's KingbirdCouch's KingbirdTyrannus couchiiCassin's KingbirdCassin's KingbirdTyrannus vociferansThick-billed KingbirdThick-billed KingbirdTyrannus crassirostrisWestern KingbirdWestern KingbirdTyrannus verticalisScissor-tailed FlycatcherScissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusFork-tailed FlycatcherFork-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus savanaGrey KingbirdGrey KingbirdTyrannus dominicensisGiant KingbirdGiant KingbirdTyrannus cubensisLoggerhead KingbirdLoggerhead KingbirdTyrannus caudifasciatus
Eastern Kingbird

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by David M. Gascoigne. ↗

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