Eastern kingbirds breed throughout most of eastern North America, from the Gulf of Mexico north to central Canada, as far east at the Atlantic ocean and as far west as the Rocky Mountains and eastern Washington and Oregon. They spend the winter in South America, mainly in the western Amazon basin.
Are Eastern kingbirds rare?
This species is the only widespread kingbird in the east. Common and conspicuous in summer, it is often seen perched jauntily on a treetop or fence wire, or sallying out with shallow fluttering wingbeats to catch an insect in mid-air.
Are Kingbirds aggressive?
Kingbirds are named for their aggressive nature. A Kingbird will defend its territory and nest against all predators, even to the point of “riding” the back of a flying hawk or crow, all the time pecking the back of its head1. ... Western Kingbirds can often be seen perched on fences and wires along the roadside.
