a tyrant flycatcher

The kingbirds have settled into the screen of pine and oak trees on the high west bank of Weesuck Creek that borders our place. This is in front of the big house on the neighboring property to the north, just beyond where the outflow from our salt pond comes out into the main creek flow. The best view is from the dock that juts out into the creek at the end of the path that divides our woodland from this property; I walk out on this dock almost every day as part of my morning circuit. Earlier on, I saw courting activity in the form of kingbird display flights. Now, for the past week or ten days, I have been hearing the electric buzzes of these birds from somewhere in the trees and, on occasion, I can see a kingbird lookout perched on a dead stub at the highest point. Somewhere in here, there must be a kingbird nest but as carefully as I scan the foliage, I cannot see it. Kingbird nests are substantial affairs, very large for the size of the bird and often built out over water on a dead branch in way that makes them obvious from the right vantage point. But if there is a nest in here, I can't find it.

One indication that the kingbirds might have eggs or young comes from the presence of crows and the kingbirds' reactions to any crow that ventures too close. Crow adults are calling in our nearby woods and the young from at least one crow nest have recently fledged. This means that there are adults cruising the neighborhood looking for fodder. And a crow's idea of fodder includes the eggs and nestlings of other species -- kingbirds included. The kingbirds, quite rightly, regard the crows as their worst enemy (they will also chase raptors but the only raptor presently visiting the creek is the fish-eating Osprey). When a crow ventures too close, a fierce, electric buzzing comes out of the trees, signaling the attack. The attack bird -- I assume it's a male but there is no obvious way to tell -- comes after the crow in a fury and starts dive bombing the intruder in a serious attempt to drive it away. On occasion, a second kingbird joins in. Is it the female pulled off the nest to help out? Again no way to tell but it is possible that, in this moment of danger, the female will momentarily leave the nest unguarded (one hopes that there is no second crow sneaking around). But this morning, no less than three birds came out of the trees in a coordinated buzz attack on a trespasser. Where did that third bird come from? Do Eastern Kingbirds have helpers at the nest (as some other birds do)? Or are there extra attack males hanging around in the neighborhood (it would certainly be better for the female to stay on or by the nest in case of a second crow). This time the intruder hastily departed the premises and I didn't see any evidence of any other crows so perhaps the danger was averted. These good-sized flycatchers are fearless and they are famous for their pugnacity. Their scientific name is Tyrannus tyrannus and they have given their name to the entire family of 400 species of New World flycatchers, known as tyrannid or tyrant flycatchers. Today at least these tyrants were certainly lording it over the crows..

Eric Salzman