A bird of the western half of the US, the Western Kingbird is one of the tyrant flycatchers. This flycatcher has white edges on both sides of the tail, a white throat and light gray breast, and has a high pitched and squeaky pidik-pik-pidik-pidik-PEEKado call. It sounds like a sputtering car.
Many of these flycatchers nest upon manmade structures and have been comfortable for doing that for quite some time. However, if they are in the countryside, they favor edge habitat like orchards, tree lined residential neighborhoods, hedgerows, grassland, desert scrub, fences, electrical or telephone wires, woodland or riparian edges, and many other venues. They have adapted well to humanity and don't mind being in the close proximity of homo sapiens.
Western Kingbird
Boomer Lake Park, 2016
This species is just as territorial as the Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and the rest of the kingbird clan. When it is nesting season, they will drive any large bird out of the area, be it hawks or crows, yet several birds may share a single tree for nesting purposes. They will many times repair a nest from the year before and reuse it. The young fledge in about two weeks, but they still remain partially dependent.
Like the typical flycatcher, they will perch on branches and sally out after insects for both themselves and their young. Oftentimes, they will return to the same branch and repeat the same activity after they have either eaten their insect or delivered it to a family member.
Black Mesa State Park, 2017
During courtship or while defending territory, they will display a reddish-orange crown, very similar to the Eastern Kingbird.
These birds are susceptible to pesticide problems, as they will easily encounter them while foraging around agricultural lands for insects. They will dive for ground prey and search within foliage for protein matter.
They are a medium- to long-distance migrant, usually wintering in Central America.
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