EINGBIBD 359 



Western Kingbird. Tyrannus verticalis Say 



Field characters. — Of rather slender build; somewhat less in bulk than Robin (length 

 9 inches); head flat -appearing. Upper surface and breast light grayish, throat paler; 

 belly bright yellow; wings brown; tail black, with easily-seen white margins; bill 

 blackish. Voice: Loud, harsh, bickering calls. 



Occurrence. — Summer visitant to lowland districts on west side of Sierra Nevada; 

 commonest in Lower Sonoran Zone. Recorded at Snelling and from near Lagrange east- 

 ward to three miles east of Coulterville and to El Portal; noted in spring near Williams 

 Butte. Casual in YoSemite Valley during early fall. Lives in dry open situations, as 

 along roadways and about isolated trees. In pairs. 



As the traveler takes his way over the level plains of the San Joaquin 

 Valley and into the Sierran foothill belt there is constantly in evidence 

 one of the conspicuous members of the lowland avifauna — the Western 

 Kingbird, or Bee Martin. This bird is normally an inhabitant of open 

 country, like that about Snelling, where it may be seen commonly along 

 roadsides. In one instance eight were counted along a single mile of 

 road over the rolling prairie. The bird also penetrates locally far up 

 into the foothill belt, as at El Portal and at the McCarthy ranch on the 

 Coulterville road near the head of Bean Creek (3200 feet). Along the 

 roads in Bear Valley and at Mt. Bullion it was seen at an average 

 frequency of about one pair every quarter of a mile. It was observed 

 also at Farrington's near Mono Lake, probably as a migrant, April 26 

 and May 18, 1916. In Yosemite Valley one was seen on the meadow 

 near Rocky Point on August 18, 1920 (C. W. Michael, MS), and another 

 on El Capitan Meadows, September 2 and 3, 1917 (Mailliard, 1918, p. 18.) 



Kingbirds may often be seen perched on fences or telephone wires, or 

 in other commanding positions, where, with constantly turning heads, 

 they watch for passing insects. When one of these insects ventures near, 

 the waiting bird darts after it, engulfs the hapless bug with an audible 

 click of the bill, and returns to the same or a similar perch. Kingbirds 

 are to be seen frequently on the ground, in grassy situations, preying upon 

 grasshoppers. As might be expected, a wide variety of insects is included 

 in the bill of fare of this species, 



A notable feature of the kingbird's behavior is its apparently quarrel- 

 some nature. When a heron, hawk, owl, or crow appears in the vicinity, 

 this flj^catcher deems it an especial duty to launch forth and harry the 

 larger bird. This it does by flying over the intruder, uttering intimidating 

 cries, and pecking at the big fellow's head or back; the performance is 

 usually so successful that the larger bird shows discomfiture and makes off 

 with increased speed. Near Coulterville a California Jay was seen on 

 the ground hunting food, and while there a Western Kingbird came and 



