Couch's Kingbird
Tyrannus couchii
Large yellow-bellied flycatcher with gray head, dull greenish back, and brownish wings and tail. Primarily a Mexican species, with range extending north into Texas and south to Belize and Guatemala. Occurs in brushy woodlands and other semiopen habitats, often near water. Listen for single “pick” or buzzy “breer” calls. Nearly identical to Tropical Kingbird, which overlaps throughout range; best separated by voice. Larger and longer-billed than Western and Cassin’s Kingbird; also note paler brownish tail.
Identification
Couch's kingbird is about 7 inches long. It has a large head and bill. It has a dark, forked tail. The head is pale gray with contrasting darker cheeks. The upperparts are grayish-olive. It has a pale throat and a darker breast. The lower breast is bright yellow. Juveniles have browner underparts than the adult and pale edges to their wings.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Tyrannus couchii
- Authority
- Baird, SF, 1858
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Genus
- Tyrannus
Range and habitat
Couch's kingbird is native to southern Texas, eastern Mexico, Belize, and northeastern Guatemala, living in lightly wooded areas, such as sparse forests, suburban areas, thorn forests, and edges of wooded streams. Couch's kingbird likes to live near water, especially rivers, and can often be found near roadsides and forest edges. A vagrant individual was sighted in New York City in December 2014 and caught the attention of many birdwatchers.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Couch's kingbird is mostly an insectivore; however, it can also be a frugivore, eating small berries and seeds. They typically eat larger insects such as, but not limited to, beetles, grasshoppers, wasps, and large flies. Besides this, their diet is mostly unknown due to the lesser volume of birders noting this bird's behaviors. Like most kingbirds, the feeding behavior of Couch's kingbird entails mostly perching and watching its environment for insect movement. It catches its prey mid-air, hovering above, or by quickly swooping down. Eventually, Couch's kingbird re-perches on a branch to eat the insects.<p>The nesting behavior is not precisely known; however, it is believed to be similar to the tropical kingbird. Couch's kingbird likes to nest in lightly wooded areas, and they frequently nest in sugar hackberry, cedar elm, Texas ebony, and Mexican ash trees. It is believed that the flat, cup-like nest is most likely built by the female. It usually consists of twigs, leaves, weeds, moss, and bark and is lined with soft, finer materials such as rootlets, plant down, and Spanish moss. It lays horizontally on higher altitude branches ranging 8–25 feet above the ground, aggressively guarded by adults chasing away larger birds from the nest site. The incubation period is not known but is estimated to be by the female for a little over two weeks. The female can lay up to five eggs, but there are normally three to four eggs per nest. The eggs look to be a pinkish-warm buff color splotched with darker browns and lavender. It is believed both parents feed the young, but not much is known. The young's age at first flight is around 2–3 weeks old.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Makira Starling
Aplonis dichroa
A rather small, entirely dark starling with a glossy-blue sheen to the head and a more purple sheen elsewhere. Wings and tail are a dull matte earth-brown. Eye is dark. Prefers forest and forest edge, more common inland. Common calls include a long rising whistle, high-pitched squeaks and clicks, and melodic chattering.
Pink-headed Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus porphyreus
An absolute gem of a dove, found only in high montane forests. Combination of bright pink head, black-and-white chest band, and leaf-green back is unmistakable. Female averages slightly duller than the male. Juvenile is green overall, with faint yellow feather fringes that fade with age. Like many other fruit-doves, can be difficult to see when perched quietly in the canopy; low, even hoots (sometimes with a blubbering series of higher-pitched notes following) can be frustratingly difficult to pin down.
West Indian Woodpecker
Melanerpes superciliaris
A medium-sized woodpecker of drier forests including palm groves. Its strongly barred back eliminates all other species in it range except for Northern and Fernandina’s Flickers, but both flickers lack the West Indian Woodpecker’s extensively red nape and hind-crown. The barring on the back of the Northern Flicker is also far less pronounced than it is on West Indian Woodpecker. Common vocalizations include a staccato “pee-uh-uh-uh-uh…” with accent on first note, and emphatic bursts of “bluhhh, bluhhh, bluhhh,” with notes that are both harsh and slightly trilled.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.