Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
STANFORD LOCATIONS: Uncommon migrant and rare summer resident at the Dish, fairly rare elsewhere on campus. Most common in spring, but occasionally a pair will linger to nest at the Dish. Feeds on insects while making long sallies over open fields.

Nest Location	Nest Type	Eggs Mating System	Dev. Parental Care	Primary & 2ndary Diet	Foraging Strategy
			F I: 18-19 DAYS ALTRICIAL
SHRUB 15 feet - 30 feet (5 feet - 40 feet)	?	3-4 (3-7) MONOG	F: 16-17 DAYS MF	BERRIES	HOVER & POUNCE

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BREEDING:	Savanna, dry open country, agricultural lands, riparian woodland. ? broods.
DISPLAYS:	Male performs frenetic courtship flight, darting into air, fluttering, vibrating feathers, and trilling.
NEST:	Usu on horizontal branch against or near trunk of tree or on human-built structure; of variable materials, thickly and finely lined with hair, cotton, plant down.
EGGS:	White, creamy, pinkish, mottled with browns, gray, lavender, occ concentrated at large end. 1.0" (24 mm).
DIET:	Insects and berries.
CONSERVATION:	Winters from s Mexico s (except Yucatan) to s w Costa Rica. Rare cowbird host. Range has expanded since 1900 as suitable nest sites became available due to expanding agriculture.
NOTES:	Reproductive success varies with insect abundance; when insects abundant, clutches are larger and initiated earlier, nestlings are fed more often and grow faster. On territory very aggressive toward crows, hawks, etc.
ESSAYS:	Passerines and Songbirds; Bills; Masterbuilders; Range Expansion.
REFERENCES:	Blancher and Robertson, 1984, 1987; MacKenzie and Sealy, 1981.

Help	Abbreviations	Species-Alphabetical	Species-Taxonomic	Essays-Alphabetical	Essays-Categorized
Except for Stanford Locations, the material in this species treatment is taken, with permission, from The Birder's Handbook (Paul Ehrlich, David Dobkin, & Darryl Wheye, Simon & Schuster, NY. 1988).