Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis

Yellow breasts and gray upper parts easily distinguish Western Kingbirds from Eastern Kingbirds. Their voice is distinctive, with its loud "whit" call and its forceful song. The song is especially useful in distinguishing this species from several look-alike species that may stray into the state. Western Kingbirds typically frequent dry riparian woodlands and savannas, but they have expanded into habitats that include agricultural lands, trees around farm complexes and urban areas.

Widmann (1907) noted that little was known about this species in the late 1800s. He mentioned a single sighting in Vernon County and noted that in the 1880s H. Nehrling called it fairly common in Lawrence County.

Code Frequency

Because they are noisy and conspicuous, Western Kingbirds are relatively easy to locate in appropriate habitats. Due to their tendency to perch conspicuously in the open, they were likely to be observed wherever they occurred.

Distribution

Western Kingbird records were located primarily in the Western Glaciated Plains Natural Section. Most confirmed breeding records were located from Kansas City north to Iowa. The one or two pairs located in the St. Louis area since 1986 (Wilson 1988) were documented by Atlasers. Other observations were scattered mainly in the Osage Plains Natural Division. At least one breeding pair was documented in Kennett, Dunklin County in 1991 (Wilson 1991b), but it was located outside an Atlas Project block.

Phenology

Western Kingbirds arrive late and likely rear a single brood. The first bird was recorded by the Atlas Project on May 16.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 34 (2.8%) of 1,207 blocks

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