Eastern Kingbird Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  The Eastern Kingbird is a sturdy, medium-sized songbird with a large head, upright posture, square-tipped tail, and a relatively short, straight bill.

  Relative Size

  Smaller than an American Robin; larger than an Eastern Phoebe.

  robin-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 7.5-9.1 in (19-23 cm)
    • Weight: 1.2-1.9 oz (33-55 g)
    • Wingspan: 13.0-15.0 in (33-38 cm)

  © Ryan Schain / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Eastern Kingbirds are blackish above and white below. The head is a darker black than the wings and back, and the black tail has a conspicuous white tip.

• Behavior

  Eastern Kingbirds often perch in the open atop trees or along utility lines or fences. They fly with very shallow, rowing wingbeats and a raised head, usually accompanied by metallic, sputtering calls. Eastern Kingbirds are visual hunters, sallying out from perches to snatch flying insects.
• Habitat

  Eastern Kingbirds breed in open habitats such as yards, fields, pastures, grasslands, or wetlands, and are especially abundant in open places along forest edges or water. They spend winters in forests of South America.