Bird Guide

Tropical Kingbird vs Western Kingbird

Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Small37 gUrban

An adult tropical kingbird is 22 cm (8.7 in) long, weighs 39 g (1.4 oz) and has a wingspan range of 38–41 cm. The head is pale gray, with a darker eye mask, an orange crown stripe, and a heavy gray bill. The back is grayish-green, and the wing and forked tail are brown. The throat is pale gray, becoming olive on the breast, with the rest of the underparts being yellow. The sexes are similar, but young birds have pale buff edges on the wing coverts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0
Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)

Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis

Small40 gShrubland

Adults are a combination of both gray and yellow plumage, along with crimson feathers that are hidden until courtship or against intruders. Characteristic of kingbird species, the western kingbird is very territorial. Although the western is often misidentified as Cassin's kingbird, Couch's kingbird, or the tropical kingbird due to the yellow coloration, it can be distinguished from these other species through its black, squared tail with white edges.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Alan Vernon · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Tropical Kingbird and Western Kingbird.