Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis Say, 1822

40 gWeight

The western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) is a large tyrant flycatcher found throughout western North America, as far south as Mexico.

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

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Western Kingbird has been recorded at 628 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 12 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Willcox – Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf CourseUnited States7,217 records
  2. Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States5,105 records
  3. Hornsby BendUnited States4,142 records
More places
  1. Village Creek Drying Beds (PPW-W 083) – ACCESS CLOSED July 2025United States2,974 records
  2. Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWRUnited States2,965 records
  3. Mitchell Lake Audubon CenterUnited States2,961 records
  4. Canoa Ranch Conservation ParkUnited States2,931 records
  5. Malheur NWR – HeadquartersUnited States2,752 records
  6. Sierra Vista EOPUnited States2,692 records
  7. Desert NWR – Corn CreekUnited States2,673 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaMexicoHondurasGuatemalaEl SalvadorCosta RicaNicaragua

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 western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) is a large tyrant flycatcher found throughout western North America, as far south as Mexico.

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

Questions

How big is the Western Kingbird?

The Western Kingbird weighs around 40 g.

Where does the Western Kingbird live?

Its breeding range: North America: northwestern, north-central Canada to northern Mexico. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Western Kingbird?

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

Is the Western Kingbird endangered?

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

What does the Western Kingbird eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Western Kingbird in?

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

At a glance

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

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

Range

North America: northwestern, north-central Canada to northern Mexico

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 crassirostrisScissor-tailed FlycatcherScissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusFork-tailed FlycatcherFork-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus savanaEastern KingbirdEastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannusGrey KingbirdGrey KingbirdTyrannus dominicensisGiant KingbirdGiant KingbirdTyrannus cubensisLoggerhead KingbirdLoggerhead KingbirdTyrannus caudifasciatus
Western Kingbird

Download illustration

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

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.

In other languages