The Arkansas Kingbird (Tyranmis vcrtimlis) 



By F. E. L. Beal 



Length : /'/.> indies. 



The Arkansas kingbird inhabits the lower and warmer part of the state, 

 mainly as a summer resident. It is not so domestic as its eastern relative, die 

 common kingbird, and seems to prefer the hill country, with scattering oaks, 

 rather than the orchard or the \-icinity of towns or r;mcl! Imildings. Ilandsonii-r 

 than the common kingbird. 



For the investigation of the kingbird's food 78 stomachs were available. 

 Most of them were taken from March to July inclusive, but a few in .September. 

 October and December. The bird's yearly food is made up of 87 per cent 

 of animal matter and 13 per cent of vegetable. 



Animal Food : The animal food is composed of insects and a few bones of 

 a batrachian (tree frog or salamander). Both the eastern and western king- 

 birds ha\e been accused of destroying honey bees {Apis inellifica ] to a harmful 

 extent. It is said that the birds linger about the hives and snap up the bees as 

 they return home laden with honey. Remains of honey bees were searched for 

 with special care, and were found to constitute 5 per cent of the food. Thirty-one 

 individuals were discovered in 5 stomachs. Of these, 29 were drones, or males, 

 and 2 were workers. In ,3 .stomachs containing males there \vas uo other food, 

 and when it is borne in mind that there are thousands of worker bees to one drone, 

 it appears that the latter must be carefully selected. As a rule, the destruction of 

 drones is not an injury to the colony, and often is a positive benefit. The food of 

 the eastern kingbird shows practically the same ratio between drones and workers. 

 Hymenoptera other than honey bees amount to 38 percent, and include wild bees, 

 wasps, and ants, with a few parasitic species. The latter are very useful insects, 

 and their destruction is an injury, l)Ut fortiinatclv tlie l^ingliird is not cspcci;illy 

 fond of them. 



The late ^^"alter l^iryant. of .Santa Rosa. C'al.. .says: 



Mr. A. Barnett, of San Diego County, had 300 swarms of bees, wliich at- 

 tracted the flycatchers to such an extent that he made some in\('stigati(ins to 

 ascertain to what extent they might be damaging the bee industry. 



Over 100 flycatchers were dissected, principally Arkansas flycatchers and 

 phoebes (Black and Say's ?V In all of the Arkansas flycatchers drones were 

 found, but no working bees, although in many cases the birds were gorged. In 

 most of the phoebes drone bees were found : the onlv exception was that of a 

 phoebe (Say's?) in which a bee's sting was found in the base of the tongue 



The birds were all shot about apiaries and were seen darting upon and c.-itching 

 the bees. 



Such testimony is sufficient to clear these flvcatchcrs of the suspicion that thcv 

 interfere with the bee industrv. 



Beetles of various families form about 14 per cent of the food, 'i'iiey are 

 all harmful s]>ecies except a few iircdaceous ground beetles and l.-idvbird htetles. 



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