These areas are bright blue on male birds and grayish-blue on females. The sharp whistled call of the Black Phoebe is a typical sound along creeks and ponds in the southwest. The only completely red bird in North America, the strawberry-colored male Summer Tanager is an eye-catching sight against the green leaves of the forest canopy. Kingbirds make a sturdy cup nest in a tree or shrub, sometimes on top of a pole or other man-made. Creamy white with brownish mottling, markings often concentrated near large end. Unlike those two, however, it is not nearly as evenly distributed across the state, being quite numerous. Like other flycatchers, kingbirds typically flit gracefully from an exposed perch to snap up flying insects and then immediately return to the same. 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. These birds occur on all the continents except Australia and Antarctica—but in North America. Similar looking birds to Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: Eastern Kingbird , Western Kingbird Similar Species to Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Photos comparing this bird species with similar or confusing species, including captions that point out specific differences to help confirm identification. My internet connection has been horrendous these last two days, if I cannot get to your streams youll know why. Female hummingbirds are slightly larger than males because they must carry and lay eggs. Wingspan. Olive-sided Flycatchers are vigorous defenders of their. The order of these sylllables can vary, and the whole song lasts about 3 seconds. Eastern Kingbird. Name is somewhat misleading; it does occur over most of eastern North. Brown-crested Flycatchers have a paler gray chest and a paler yellow belly than Great Crested Flycatchers. Nests on. Male (left) and Female (right) Northern Flickers perched on a. Eastern Kingbirds arrive in Washington by late May, from the. Identification Adult: black head blends to slate gray back; central crown patch varies from red to yellow. The Northern Cardinal is a very popular bird, and its bright red plumage makes it easy to identify. Sexes similar. Also, nestlings fed by both parents receive more food than nestlings fed by just one parent (Yasukawa, Mcclure). , Bruun, B. Eastern Kingbird Range Map, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Compare with Similar Species Click on an image to compare Eastern Wood-Pewee Eastern Phoebe. LC Least Concern; Names (38) Monotypic; Michael T. The. Eastern Bluebirds measure 6 1/2 inches from beak to tail tip. Especially while nesting, these birds also chase people, dogs, cats, and other predators. Aside from their mood-boosting trip down South, the eastern kingbird only seems to make nice during mating season. An elegant gray and salmon-pink flycatcher festooned with an absurdly long tail, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is the bird to look for on fence wires in the south-central United States. These slender-bodied gray birds apparently pour all their color into their personalities. Couch's Kingbirds are common around woodland. You need to be a member in order to. Black phoebe. The first thing to do is to figure out if the baby bird is a nestling or a fledgling. She may finish the nest in a couple of days or spend a few weeks on it. Their heads are darker black, and they have a white tip on the tail. In courtship, male flies after female, spreading the white feathers under the base of his tail so that they are prominently displayed. Its habit of hunting high in the canopy means it’s not particularly conspicuous—until you learn its very distinctive call, an emphatic rising whistle. On the other hand, a female’s tail is typically: Shorter in comparisonThe red-billed streamertail is the national bird of Jamaica. In winter, this bird feeds on weedy seeds. The key differences between a male vs female eastern box turtle are their colors, shells, cloacas, claws, tails, and mating behaviors. Whitish to bluish white or pale gray, with markings of brown and gray often concentrated at larger end. Range: USA, Canada, Mexico. Nests are built high in trees in open habitats. They may be little, but they don't let other birds push them around. Captive breeding experiments found that hybrid meadowlarks were fertile, but produced few eggs that hatched. Try Merlin. Try Merlin Bird ID Species in This Family Eastern kingbirds are monogamous, although they seem to have a skewed sex ratio, with fewer females than males. The underside of the shell, or plastron, is also a handy indicator to help reveal the gender. Young: Both parents feed the nestlings. Although Costa Rica is a small country, it is in the bird-rich neotropical region and has a huge number of species for its area. As their name implies, Eastern Kingbirds are historically a bird of the eastern part of the US, and their migration patterns trace their westward expansion. It tends to repeat the same songs over and over again. immature male (left) & female (right) Ryan Brady. Young leave the nest after 14-17 days. An assertive bird of dry open country, the gray and lemon-yellow Cassin's Kingbird hunts flying insects from high perches. Eastern Kingbird. The head has a concealed yellow crown stripe, and a dusky mask through the eyes. Both Eastern and Western Kingbirds have pinkish. Bluebirds can be found in rural gardens, orchards, and suburban gardens near open farmland. Note white-tipped square tail. [4] 4. The Wood-Pewee sings most often at dawn and dusk, and it may continue singing. A relatively pale kingbird, medium-gray above and white below with a darker face mask. These big, gray-and-yellow flycatchers catch insects on impressive pursuit flights, usually returning to the same perch to eat their catch. Eastern kingbirds, Tyrannus tyrannus, sing a distinctive dawn song in the predawn darkness, and one hypothesis for its function is that it serves as an honest signal of male quality that females use during choice of within-pair or extrapair mates. The female and male red-winged blackbird’s feeding rates are independent. It is among the earliest of migrants, bringing hope that spring is at hand. The underparts are white, with a white terminal band on the tail. An eye-catching bird with ashy gray and lemon-yellow plumage, the Western Kingbird is a familiar summertime sight in open habitats across western North America. An emphatic, whistled bob-white ringing from a grassy field or piney woods has long been a characteristic sound of summers in the Eastern countryside. Fairly large yellow-bellied flycatcher; common and widespread in western North America. The easily identifiable pine cones have open scales with a rounded apex and reflexed tip. Unlike the preceding Longspurs, these are constant residents in the greater part of the Western Plains, in. Young: Both parents feed nestlings. Unlike many other bird species, female mockingbirds are actually slightly smaller than their male counterparts, measuring 20. The Bald Eagle was sitting in this dead tree on the water, and an Eastern Kingbird took offense to the infraction into its territory. Relative Size Smaller than an American Robin; larger than an Eastern Phoebe. Large headed and heavy billed like other kingbirds, the Gray Kingbird has ashy gray upperparts that grade into dark gray-brown wings and tail, with the hint of a dark mask through the eyes. They’re boisterous in both attitude and color: a black bandit’s mask, a yellow belly, and flashes of warm reddish-brown when they fly. Adult: pale gray head; darker mask; concealed orange-red central crown patch. Project FeederWatchAn eye-catching bird with ashy gray and lemon-yellow plumage, the Western Kingbird is a familiar summertime sight in open habitats across western North America. Blackish above (darker on the head) and white below. The female is paler below. A popular way to identify female European starlings is from their bills. More to Read. sparrow-sized or smaller Measurements. Male sometimes has more than one mate. Eastern Kingbirds often perch on wires in open areas and either sally out for flying insects. Eastern kingbird black-grey above, white below; distinct white band across the tail tip;Eastern kingbird. The tear-drop looking eye-ring serves as a good field identification clue. with a sooty black body and crisp white belly. The Eastern Kingbird is a sturdy, medium-sized songbird with a large head, upright posture, square-tipped tail, and a relatively short, straight bill. General Comments. 8–9. For comparison purposes, here is the mystery kingbird from Livingston Co. Cordilleran Flycatcher. Of them, 28 are endemic, 19 have been introduced by humans, and 159 are rare or accidental. Gender identity. Its original nesting habitat along the coast has been partly taken over by development, but the bird has adapted, and it now nests in residential areas, farmland. Gray King birds may form large communal roosts with as many as 151 individuals in a roost at one time. The Wood-Pewee sings most often at dawn and dusk, and it may continue singing. [1] They have long pointed wings and large broad bills. Check for a beard and spurs. They immediately claimed the nest since the Kingbirds were out doing Kingbird things. This small, white-bellied, conspicuous species has the largest distribution of any North American kingbird. She builds a rough frame, 5–6 inches across, using coarse materials like plant stems and flowers, oak catkins, cudweed, wool, Spanish moss, peppergrass, tissue, paper, string, thread, and cotton. These brown-and-white songbirds sit upright and wag their tails from prominent, low perches. Eyes open at week 5, and young are weaned at week 8. Least Flycatchers are one of the grayish olive flycatchers in the often confusing Empidonax group, but they're one of the easier ones to identify. Creamy white with brownish mottling, markings often concentrated near large end. Women and men can experience pain in different ways, and women’s and men’s bodies can react to drugs differently. Both Sexes; Length: 4. 3. It is primarily found in the eastern half of the United States. Female Mockingbirds chase away female intruders, and males chase away male intruders. Both sexes have grey heads, backs, and upper bodies, with darker touches on their wings and tails. 9. Both male and female starlings bills are predominantly yellow, but male bills have a blue-ish base, whereas the female's bill base is pinkish. We were surprised to have new tenants so. When compared to other birds, a gray kingbird is almost twice smaller than an average red-tailed hawk. Browse Species in This Family. Sexual dimorphism is a term for. Kiskadees sit out in the open and attract attention with incessant kis-ka-dee calls and sallying flights. The northern mockingbird ( Mimus polyglottos) is a mockingbird commonly found in North America. Related to the familiar Eastern Phoebe of. Anisogamy, or the size differences of gametes (sex cells), is the defining feature of the two sexes. Another study has found that 44% of male red-winged blackbirds had more than one female nesting simultaneously in their territory. They do this to attract mates. Females lay 2 to 5 cream colored eggs with reddish spots. These grayish brown flycatchers use exposed branches as their stage; they put on quite a good show, sallying back and forth while nabbing flying insects with stunning precision. The female’s tenacity is just as fiery as the male’s. 29. Both males and females contribute to feeding. Others are more difficult to detect. While both sexes of these birds appear identical, the male’s ability to sing can distinguish the two. Identification. 3-4, sometimes 5. With dark gray upperparts and a neat white tip to the tail, the Eastern Kingbird looks like it’s wearing a business suit. A rounded, upturned abdomen indicates the grasshopper is a male. Eastern cicada killer wasps are large and colorful but present no danger to humans. The Gray Kingbird is often conspicuous, perching in the open and giving loud, arresting calls. Look and listen for. We noticed that a small bird continuously dive-bombed the eagle. They typically perch in the open, where their long, forked tails make an unmistakable silhouette. Western Wood-Pewees are most common in eastern Washington at lower elevations, within the forested zone. Fig. Tyrannus tyrannus is a large Tyrant flycatcher. The Eastern Kingbird ( Tyrannus tyrannus) is the most common kingbird in North America. Tyrant flycatchers. The call of a mockingbird is loud and sharp. This is especially true of the American toad, Fowler's toad, and woodhouse toads. Gray Kingbird. Eastern Kingbird Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Compare with Similar Species Click on an image to compare Eastern Wood-Pewee Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Western Kingbird Looking for ID Help? Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds. Large, blocky flycatcher with a thick neck and a stout bill. When a female arrives, male perches next to nest site and sings, often waving his wings. Young are born naked, weighing between 13-18 g. The species’ physical attributes, habitat preferences, breeding behaviors and migratory/survival skills all contribute to its prominence and abundance. Though they barely reach the southwestern. This bird is more gregarious than the Eastern Kingbird, with sometimes two or more pairs nesting in the same tree. The avifauna of Jamaica included a total of 331 species as of July 2022, according to Bird Checklists of the World. The male monarch has a black spot on the wing vein just below the discal cell. The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is often reported at feeders, especially during spring migration. An eye-catching bird with ashy gray and lemon-yellow plumage, the Western Kingbird is a familiar summertime sight in open habitats across western North America. Occurs in brushy woodlands and other semiopen habitats, often near water. 2 Easterners: Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird In reply to Richard Pavek • Jun 14, 2009 Location - Charlie Elliot Wildlife Management Area just East (poor pun intended) of Atlanta in GA's Piedmont region. They generally measure 6. They’re one of the infamous Empidonax flycatchers, a name virtually synonymous with difficult ID. Cassin’s. Similar looking birds to Say's Phoebe: Vermilion Flycatcher Adult female, Mountain Bluebird Female/immature, Western Bluebird Female/immature, Eastern Phoebe Adult/immature. They are recorded in 31% of summer checklists and 9% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state. Western Kingbird. Once the eggs have hatched, both parents help feed the chicks. Suicide statistics reveal that women are roughly three times more likely to attempt suicide, though men are two to four times more likely to die by suicide. Large headed and heavy billed like other kingbirds, the Gray Kingbird has ashy gray upperparts that grade into dark gray-brown wings and tail, with the hint of a dark mask through the eyes. Tell toad gender by size. Best of all, its gentle tail-wagging habit and soft fee-bee song make the Phoebe. 13-27 Mlnlnn Life Span 10 years Top speed 34 km/h mph Weight 33-55 g oz Length 19-23 cm inch Wingspan 33 cm inch The eastern kingbird ( Tyrannus tyrannus ) is a large. The male bird usually has multiple female mates and spends most of its time defending its territory. Incubation is by female only, about 15-16 days. The picture shows a male. This large flycatcher sallies out to capture flying insects from conspicuous perches on trees or utility lines, flashing a black tail with white edges. Length 7. Note that a female grasshopper has a tapered abdomen. They can be found in western Washington, especially in some of the dry areas in the San Juan Islands (especially Lopez Island) and on the northeastern Olympic Peninsula. The eastern kingbird ( Tyrannus tyrannus ) is a large tyrant flycatcher native to the Americas. The adult gray kingbird is an average-sized kingbird. Both sexes fall in the average range of 28 to 31 cm (11 to 12 in). Look for them singing their distinctive song on top of willows and other shrubs. A denizen of grasslands and other open habitats throughout much of North America, this masked black, white, and gray predator hunts from utility poles, fence posts and other conspicuous perches, preying on insects, birds, lizards, and small mammals. A large, assertive flycatcher with rich reddish-brown accents and a lemon-yellow belly, the Great Crested Flycatcher is a common bird of Eastern woodlands. 6 oz) range. Similar looking birds to Say's Phoebe: Vermilion Flycatcher Adult female, Mountain Bluebird Female/immature, Western Bluebird Female/immature, Eastern Phoebe Adult/immature Try Merlin. Most of the baby birds people find are fledglings. They sit tall when perched, showing off their partially. [8] The upperparts are gray, with brownish wings and tail, and the underparts are white with a gray tinge to the chest. I definitely want to emphasize the breast band that QQ mentioned. 5 cm (8. The male sings to defend a nesting territory and attract a mate. Unlike most other woodpeckers, Northern Flickers are principally ground feeders, though they also forage on tree trunks and limbs. This species has rarely been observed in Europe. It breeds along the forested areas of western North America. Females have brown feathers with a light shade of red on the underside. 6 oz (11-16 g). If you see a yellow tiger (bottom picture) it can be either male or female, whereas if you see a black (top picture) tiger you know it is female. Listen for its high-pitched twittering calls. Fig. They will attack humans, livestock, and pets when they think their young are in danger. Blue feet and yellow bill. Ash-throated Flycatcher. Similar looking birds to Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: Eastern Kingbird , Western Kingbird Similar Species to Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Photos comparing this bird species with similar or confusing species, including captions that point out specific differences to help confirm identification. Phoebe is an alternative name for the Roman moon-goddess Diana, but it may also have been chosen to imitate the bird's call. Tyrannus verticalis. They’re one of the infamous Empidonax flycatchers, a name virtually synonymous with difficult ID. Male mates that are lost are quickly replaced by other. These birds aggressively defend their territory, even against much larger birds such as hawks. Black-throated green warbler (Wayne's) Setophaga virens waynei. Most breeding occurs between late April and mid-May. 3-4, sometimes 5. These small flycatchers perch on dead branches in the mid-canopy and sally out after flying insects. Couch's Kingbird is a large, yellow-and-gray flycatcher that looks nearly identical to the more widespread Tropical Kingbird. The size of the wingspan is somewhere between 14. While most of the western kingbird plumage is gray and brown, their underbellies are a bright yellow. Male mates that are lost are quickly replaced by other males. People tend to think of nests as safe, cozy little homes. In Mexico, widespread in dry woods and semi-open country in lowlands. Handsome aerialists with deep-blue iridescent backs and clean white fronts, Tree Swallows are a familiar sight in summer fields and wetlands across northern North America. Nest site is in a tree, often an oak, pine, or cottonwood. They chase after flying insects with acrobatic twists and turns, their steely blue-green feathers flashing in the sunlight. The mustard-yellow female is harder to spot, though both sexes have a very distinctive chuckling call note. These large wasps come by their name. The species’ physical attributes, habitat preferences, breeding behaviors and migratory/survival skills all contribute to its prominence and abundance. Backyard birds in Kansas in winter: Dark-eyed Junco, Yellow-rumped Warbler,. Eastern Kingbirds often perch on wires in open areas and either sally out for flying insects. The phoebe’s a little. Eastern Kingbird. 3″ inches. The male (staminate) flowers occur in drooping catkins about 1½-2" long. Once it reaches its winter home, it depends largely on berries and other vegetation. Meanwhile, the more estrogen a woman has, the wider her face, fuller her lips and. Men and women do not process sound in the same way. Waxwings have yellow terminal tail bands. It’s quite a bit harder to spot a Northern Bobwhite, as the bird’s elegantly dappled plumage offers excellent camouflage. Eastern kingbirds breed from April to June. The Western Kingbird catches insects in the air but. With careful listening, though, you can tell them apart by their different singing styles. If anything, selection for occupation of high-quality sites should be stronger in females than males, but mate choice may cloud the picture. Nor do they feed the female while she’s on the nest (she leaves the nest to feed several times per day). 1-6. 3-0. Incubation is by female only, about 15-16 days. The female builds the nest on her own, often escorted by the male. Setophaga virens. Jeff Galligan. Browse Species in This Family. Kingbird, (genus Tyrannus), any of 13 species of birds of the family Tyrannidae noted for their pugnacity. org Compare with Similar Species. Tropical Kingbird wingtip (probably adult male). Eastern Kingbird stock photos are available in a variety of sizes and formats to fit your needs. You will want to do this, slowly and gently, spinning the probe so that it is slowly moving forward. Feeds on insects. To find them, listen for their high, thin call notes and song. Male may make more feeding visits than female. Gray Kingbird. Blue grosbeak. 2001), but female success is derived entirely from the production of her nests. Such promiscuity is less likely to occur in species like the great crested flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), in which the male guards the female closely after mating. Favors grassland or farmland with scattered trees or isolated groves. Backyard birds in Ohio in summer: American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Gray Catbird, House Wren, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Kingbird,. The tip is always sharply pointed. Similar looking birds to Red-winged Blackbird: Tricolored Blackbird Male, Tricolored Blackbird Female, Song Sparrow Adult. See full list on audubon. Eastern Kingbird . Fig. It is also rather aggressive, and will quite frequently actively chase crows, hawks and other large birds from its territorial nesting area. Winters in open or semi-open country in the tropics. Their size varies depending on species and sex. Chipping Sparrow – juvenile . 1 in) in length and weighs from 37 to 52 g (1. PROTONYM: Tyrannus verticalis Say, 1822. The larger of two look alikes, the Hairy Woodpecker is a small but powerful bird that forages along trunks and main branches of large trees. 5–9. Nearly synonymous with burned forests over much of its range, the Black-backed Woodpecker specializes on eating big, juicy wood-boring beetle larvae. Women's brains are about 11% smaller than men's, in proportion to their body size. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Meadowlarks are often more easily heard than seen, unless you spot a male singing from a fence post. Tyrant Flycatchers (Order: Passeriformes, Family: Tyrannidae) Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet. They prefer semi-open or open areas. It lives. Everywhere else they’re called—wait for it—tits. Gray Kingbird. Contrary to its name, the eastern kingbird can be seen in the skies. These brown-and-white songbirds sit upright and wag their tails from prominent, low perches. They begin to leave in August, with the last few remaining until. The body size of this kingbird is similar to that of its cousin, the eastern kingbird. The Eastern Kingbird is easily told from other similar kingbirds by its white terminal tail band and black and white plumage. Eastern Kingbirds are medium-sized, large-headed flycatchers that are blackish on the back and white underneath. Berries, fruits, and seeds are also an important part of the eastern kingbird’s diet. By definition, males are organisms that produce small, mobile gametes (); while females are organisms that produce large and generally. Upperparts are bright blue in the male, gray-blue in the female. Female adult. I think the Eastern Kingbird juveniles look pretty snazzy with their black and white plumage. C. It can be seen in open country, woodland clearings, orchards, farms, roadsides,. Highest. 1% Audubon’s Oriole <0. Hens bear less colorful feathers than males, with rusty brown, white or gray-tipped breast feathers. Among western kingbirds, both sexes contribute to nest building. Couch's Kingbird adult male wingtip. Similar looking birds to Eastern Kingbird: Eastern Wood-Pewee , Eastern Phoebe , Great Crested Flycatcher , Western Kingbird. The bill serves as an indicator of the overall health of the bird – the more saturated with orange a bill is, the higher the. Young. This husky, barrel-chested flycatcher is the largest of the pewees, with heavy grayish markings on the sides as if the bird is wearing a waistcoat. A red patch is present on the top of the head, but it is rarely seen. Glistening cobalt blue above and tawny below, Barn Swallows dart gracefully over fields, barnyards, and open water in search of flying insect prey. I am not sure whether this is an Eastern Phoebe or Eastern Kingbird, looks pretty similar to the Black Pheobe's we have here in SF. Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) is usually dioecious (male and female flowers on separate trees), although less often it is monoecious (male and female flowers on the same tree). Young. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Violet-green Swallow. Eastern Phoebe. The female trees bear small (quarter-inch), fleshy, berry-like cones that appear in spring and mature in the fall. Head is boldly striped black and white. May breed in open grassland with no trees in some areas, where utility poles provide artificial nest sites. The Black Phoebe is a dapper flycatcher of the western U. What follows are four key elements to enable a successful program. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. It is a relatively large flycatcher, often perching. Sex Biologists. BEHAVIORS. Eastern Wood-Pewee. With dark gray upperparts and a neat white tip to the tail, the Eastern Kingbird looks like it’s wearing a business suit. The Eastern Kingbird is a medium-sized dark gray and white flycatcher that, despite its common name. Tropical Kingbird wingtip (probably adult male). There is some evidence of occasional extra pair copulations or quasiparasitism, where a second female mates with the resident male and lays eggs in the first female's nest. 1 in) in length compared to 22 to 24 cm (8. Cicada killer wasps have arrived. Though they barely reach the southwestern. Adult: pale gray head; darker mask; concealed orange-red central crown patch. Large-headed flycatcher with an upright posture and a white-tipped square tail. Use our Bird Guide to identify birds, learn about the life history, listen to the sounds, and watch bird behavior on video--the most comprehensive guide to NortThe male perched on or hovered just above the back of the female for 3 to 5 seconds, before flying off to perch in nearby tree. The male's cloaca is longer and more slit-like. Northern birds migrate to the southern parts of the range; some birds also move east in the southern United States. 7 to 7. One of our most familiar eastern flycatchers, the Eastern Phoebe’s raspy “phoebe” call is a frequent sound around yards and farms in spring and summer. The female's tail is shorter and thinner. Usually seen singly or in pairs in relatively. Larger than a Yellow Warbler, smaller than a Western or Eastern Wood-Pewee. 3 to 1. When singing, the mockingbird produces a complex series of notes and sounds. With a good eye, you may be able to differentiate between males and females based on size. Square-tipped, black tail. These enterprising birds locate burned forests just weeks to. Male cones of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta subsp. This is generally a monogamous species, and pairs form long-term bonds, sometimes mating for life. The males take on the role of the caregiver during this time, bringing food to the female and young. mm inch. This one’s more often heard than seen, and it wouldn’t be unusual to hear a pewee and a phoebe at the same spot. 17 Yellow Birds In Washington: 1. Couch's Kingbird juvenal wingtip. Most common in the Midwest and South is this small oriole. Females lay 2 to 5 cream colored eggs with reddish spots. Watch for constant tail-wagging, and also note duller wingbars than Empidonax flycatchers. During its flight display, the male mockingbird launches from a high perch while singing, then parachutes slowly back down, flashing its white wing patches. Shop. The young fledge in about two (2) weeks and become independent and fly in. Male starlings also have shinier, oilier plumage, though female plumage. Greater Pewee. Incubation is by female, about 18 days. The kingbirds are a group of large insect-eating birds which prefer to live in semi-open or open areas where they wait on an exposed. Bird's Nesting Box : Here's a plan for a nesting box that will keep your backyard birds cozy all winter. The western kingbird is a large flycatcher lacking sexual dimorphism.