Eastern Kingbird: Nesting Habits, Diet, and Behaviors
At a Glance:
The Eastern Kingbird is a bold black-and-white flycatcher that arrives in North America in late April and May.It nest once each season. Laying 2-5 eggs in a cup nest, feeding young insects.
Departing for the Amazon Basin by late summer.
Key features that identify this bird
- Bold blackish head and back with sharp contrast to the white underparts.
- White tip on the tail.
- Upright posture, often perching conspicuously on open branches.
- They're common in open fields, near water, and along fencerows in summer across much of the U.S. and Canada.
Behavior
They perch upright on fences, treetops, or wires, darting out to snatch insects midair before returning to the same spot.
Despite their modest size, they fiercely defend territories and nests, often chasing away hawks, crows, and much larger birds.
In migration and winter, their diet shifts from insects to fruit, especially berries.
Nesting Habits
Pairs form soon after arriving on the breeding grounds in late April to mid-May across most of their range.
Those that pair with last season's mate, do so earlier than those pairing for the first time. Eastern Kingbirds are not known to mate for life.
Nest building is done by the female and usually begins in June.
She weaves and shapes the nest in a cup-like structure while the male keeps watch nearby, occasionally carrying material and driving off intruders.
Nests are placed in trees or shrubs 10-50 feet above ground, often along field edges, riverbanks, or open areas.
Egg laying begins 2 to 6 days after the completion of the nest. The female lays 2-5 eggs (usually 3-4) and she alone incubates them for about 14-17 days.
Shorter incubation times are related to warmer temperatures; higher temperatures result in fewer incubation days.
Here in Kansas, I see hatchlings on the shorter side due to our high temps in June.
Once hatched, nestlings remain in the nest 16-18 days, during which both parents bring insects in a steady stream.
Even after fledging, the young may be fed for another week or two as they learn to forage.
Eastern Kingbirds usually raise only one brood per season. July nest building is common when earlier nests fail. Brown-headed Cowbirds sometimes lay eggs in Eastern Kingbird nests, but the kingbirds usually eject these eggs.
They will aggressively attack any cowbird or other intruder that comes near the nest. Even when a cowbird manages to lay an egg, the kingbird does not incubate it. The Eastern Kingbird breeds across much of North America, from southern Canada and Alaska east to the Atlantic, and south through most of the United States.
It favors open country with scattered trees, forest edges, farmland, and river corridors where it can perch and hunt for insects.
Although generally absent from the arid Southwest and higher elevations of the Rockies, it is a widespread and familiar summer bird in the Great Plains, Midwest, and eastern states.
After breeding, Eastern Kingbirds begin their long migration to South America.
By late August they form flocks and head south through Mexico and Central America, eventually reaching the Amazon Basin.
There, they spend the winter months in forest habitats and switch from an insect diet to fruit, relying heavily on berries before returning north again in spring. Predators of adult Eastern Kingbirds are most likely, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Falcons.
Nest and eggs are attacked by snakes, crows, and Blue jays Gene Planker is the creator of Wild-Bird-Watching.com, where he shares over 50 years of backyard birding experience. His guides help readers understand the nesting, feeding, and behavior of backyard birds.
Nesting Timeline
Cowbirds vs Kingbirds
Range and Habitat
Migration
Predators
Entities & Sources
Keep your birdbaths clean and full. Migrating songbirds rely on fresh water during their long journey south. Berry plants like dogwood and elderberry help fuel them too!
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