﻿Common Birds in Relation to Agriculture. 299 



described. These birds are certainly the only agents 

 which can successfully cope with certain insect enemies of 

 the forests, and, to some extent, of fruit trees also. For 

 this reason, if for no other, they should be protected 

 in every possible way. 



THE KINGBIRD. 



( Tyrannus tyrannus. ) 



The kingbird is essentially a lover of the orchard, 

 and wherever the native groves have been replaced by 

 fruit trees this pugnacious bird takes up its abode. It 

 breeds in all of the States east of the Eocky Mountains, 

 and less commonly in the Great Basin and on the Pacific 

 Coast. It migrates south early in the fall, atnd generally 

 leaves the United States to spend the winter in more 

 southern latitudes. 



The kingbird manifests its presence in many ways. It 

 is somewhat boisterous and obtrusive, and its antipathy 

 for hawks and crows is well known. It never hesitates 

 to give battle to any of these marauders, no matter 

 how superior in size, and for this reason a family of 

 kingbirds is a desirable adjunct to a poultry yard. On 

 one occasion in the knowledge of the writer a hawk which 

 attacked a brood of young turkeys was pounced upon and 

 so severely buffeted by a pair of kingbirds, whose nest was 

 near by, that the would-be robber was glad to escape 

 without his prey. Song birds that nest near the kingbird 

 are similarly protected. 



In its food habits this species is largely insectivorous. 

 It is a true flycatcher by nature, and takes a large part of 

 its food on the wing. It does not, however, confine itself 

 to this method of hunting, but picks up some insects from 

 trees and weeds, and even descends to the ground in 

 search of myriapods or thousand legs. The chief 

 complaint against the kingbird is that it preys largely 

 upon honeybees ; and this charge has been made both by 



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