Eastern kingbird

The eastern kingbird lives up to its name. Small and sharp, dark grey above and white below, it will chase away hawks, crows, and anything else it considers a threat, riding on the back of a bird many times its size. A thin white band on the tip of the tail is a good clue to the species.

Kingbirds arrive in Manitoba in May and perch on fence posts, wires, and the tops of shrubs, making short flights to catch insects in mid-air. They build a neat cup nest in a tree or a shrub, often near water. In fall they switch to eating fruit and fly to the Amazon basin for the winter.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Photos

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