The crisp markings of this bird and its white tail tip are distinctive. This big-headed, broad-shouldered bird gets its name from its habit of harassing Crows, Red-tailed Hawks, Great Blue Herons and other birds that pass over its territory.
Eastern Kingbirds often perch on wires or on the topmost tips of plants in open areas, leaving their posts to fltter over the tops of grasses in searech of flying insects to eat. These birds are members of the Flycatcher Family.
They inhabit woodland edges, river groves, farms, orchards and roadsides. In the Summer, Eastern Kingbords require open space for hunting and trees for nesting; their habitat ranges from clearings within forest to open grassland with few scattered trees.
After migrating to South America in Autumn, in the Winter these birds take on a different personality, living in flocks in tropical forests and dining on berries.
Eastern kingbirds are important predators of insects during this time of the year. They are also fun to watch hunt food and chase other (in many cases larger) birds from their territories.