Thick-billed Kingbird

Overview

The thick-billed kingbird (Tyrannus crassirostris) is a large tyrant flycatcher native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with an estimated population of two million mature individuals across its extensive range.

Identification

• Approximately 25 cm long with a stout dark bill, blackish legs, and a dark iris.
• Upperparts are mostly grayish olive with deep grayish brown wings, while the breast is whitish to very pale gray.
• Features a partial lemon or canary yellow patch in the center of the crown and yellowish flanks and undertail coverts.
• Vocalisations include a two-parted phrase resembling "t t t t t, t T t tt rwheeuh t tt" alongside chatters and harsh rasping calls.

Habitat

Found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala, the species inhabits diverse landscapes including streams with open floodplains in the US, tropical deciduous forest further south, and arid scrublands in the far south. It can be found at elevations up to 2,000 m.

Diet

This bird feeds primarily on insects and other arthropods, with fruits making up a smaller portion of its diet. It forages by catching prey in mid-air using sallies from high perches, a technique known as hawking.

Did you know?

While typically nesting high in tall trees, nests have occasionally been discovered as low as 1.5 m above the ground, often placed in a branch fork or where a branch meets the tree trunk.