Eastern Kingbird

A king tyrant

The Flycatcher (Tyrannus tyrannus ) is a 20 cm large and very aggressive bird of the tyrant family ( Tyrannidae ).

Features

The king tyrant is with a length of 20-23 cm one of the greatest tyrants. His head and the top are black. The throat and the tail are white, while the breast is white in color gray. If he resists its apex springs, the red, elongated spot is visible. At the base of the broad, flat beak dark thick hair can be seen.

Dissemination

The king tyrant lives in the forest areas, prairies and in the gardens and parks of major cities across the entire width of the North American continent from southern Canada to Florida. To the southwest, its habitat to Texas and New Mexico expands. In the fall he pulls in large swarms after southern Mexico and in the northwest of South America to spend the winter there. In the wintering areas the birds are very peaceful and live in communities of several thousand birds.

Way of life

The king tyrant bears his name not groundless. Even by the Indians it is called because of its aggressiveness and courage "Little Chief ". He attacks even much larger raptors and ravens beats with claws and beak in flight, but paradoxically it can also swallows the breeding grounds in peace. It can be seen sitting on barbed wire fences him often.

Reproduction

The breeding season of the tyrant king begins in spring immediately after returning from the wintering areas. The males fight fiercely for control of the mining districts. Once a station owner has a matching females found it balzt flying around his partner desired, and making its apex springs.

The nest is of two partners, usually built on a branch. For this purpose they use twigs, leaves, grass and bark. The well is designed by the male with feathers and soft grass before the female lays 3-4 white or pink eggs with dark red or brown spots. Incubation period is 16-20 days; the nestling period further 14-21 days.

Food

The food of the king tyrant consists mainly of insects, such as flies, grasshoppers or crickets, but also spiders and bees. To bee stings they are apparently immune. They also eat fruits, especially in autumn. Their main prey, insects are spotted from a hide out and quickly caught.