XLV 



KINGBIRD; BEE-MABTIN; BEE-BIBD 

 444. Tyrannus tyrannus (Linn.) 



After watching this bird, which is only eight inches 

 long, in its persistent and vicious attacks on birds many 

 times its size, one can appreciate why it is called the 

 Kingbird, or the Tyrant. It has a broad territorial 

 range and breeds where found during its summer sojourn. 

 There are few open pastures, parks or golf courses whose 

 wide spaces, scattering shade and ornamental trees do 

 not harbor a pair of these birds. 



The Kingbird is of a blackish ash color over the 

 back ; it has a white breast, dusky wings with white edg- 

 ings ; a beautiful fan-shaped tail of twelve dark feathers 

 tipped with white, and a crested crown with a flaming 

 spot on the center. (Fig. 69.) 



The nest is placed from ten to fifteen feet from the 

 ground and is composed of twigs, grasses, rags, twine 

 and paper. The eggs, usually four, are white, thinly 

 speckled with lilac or brown. 



The Kingbird is the best of our flycatchers. For 

 hours, patiently, this bird will perch on a dead mullen 

 stalk or isolated twig, ever on the alert for passing in- 

 sects; it is a great moth killer, thus destroying the egg 

 layers of the small insect pest. 



The Kingbird has no song and its only utterance 

 is "keet, keet, keet!" while perched on some dead twig, 

 waiting and watching for food. These same notes are 

 rapidly repeated when the bird is fighting other birds, or 

 anything that invades the sanctity of its home surround- 

 ings. Its every utterance, its every attitude, is one of 

 alertness. 



With white-rimmed eyes and erect crown the bird 

 looks the tyrant its name implies. A Cowbird would be 

 risking her very safety should she try to deposit one of 

 her eggs in the nest of a Kingbird. It is the bravest 

 of birds and will attack an Eagle, a Hawk or Crow. In 



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