Kingbird Combat

You can’t truly appreciate a bird’s behavioral characteristics until you witness them personally. The Eastern Kingbird is known for its aggressive territorial behaviors, but I had never digested this fact before witnessing two males—on three separate occasions—slugging it out, always in close proximity to me.

The breeding season began serenely enough, with numerous sightings of a mated pair of kingbirds. Since the kingbird is not dimorphic (sexes different in appearance), I presumed these two to be a male and female. And every time I saw this handsome pair, I felt graced by their gentle presence. Then the mood changed.

About a week ago, I was out in the yard when I heard a ruckus of squawks and beating wings above me. One kingbird was attempting to “mount” the other in mid-air! I hasten to clarify that by “mount,” I don’t mean “mate”-- more like a fighter jumping on his opponent’s back. This wasn’t far from my side door and the two combatants flew into a nearby small grove of hemlock. Interesting, right?

Things got more interesting still, when moments later, these two were at it again--and again somewhat over my head, though I was now a couple hundred feet away, on the other side of the pond. Somehow I felt involved.

Fast forward to a couple days ago. I was enjoying a serene evening, sitting on a chaise lounge, watching the tree and barn swallows playing over the pond. Softly twittering, the swallows dove and glided, dragging their feet over its surface. Then an intrusive shrieking filled the air as I watched two kingbirds, descending from above, wrestle in the air before me, about twenty feet away. A duo of furious flapping wings, they spun, descending through the air like a tiny tornado until one dropped, falling six or seven feet into the tall, thick bank grasses. Mesmerized I watched as the fallen kingbird flopped and flapped within the grass while my black lab Bridget rushed to investigate. “No, Bridget!” I demanded, my tone giving her reason to pause as the kingbird found its bearings and lifted into the air, flying toward a towering Norway Spruce.

As I ponder these incidents, I can’t help but wonder why I was privileged to witness their territorial bouts, almost like I was the referee. And I wonder if the mated male was defending this territory from the same would-be intruder. Possibly because I appreciate the specialness of this piece of “real estate.” After all what more could a kingbird want than lots of pasture and a pond? Here’s hoping that both males find the space they need.

p.s. This season I've taken many photos of the mated kingbirds, but I'm posting a photo taken last year because I think it captures the heart of the warrior.

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne