Adult. Photo: Brian Henderson/Flickr (CC-BY-NC-2.0)
Tyrannus melancholicus
| Conservation status | Numbers in United States increasing slightly. Farther south, has become much more abundant and widespread as tropical forest has been cleared and turned into open country. |
|---|---|
| Family | Tyrant Flycatchers |
| Habitat | River groves, scattered trees. Breeding habitat in Arizona is in groves of cottonwoods near water at low elevations. Farther south in the tropics, found in any kind of open or semi-open habitat, from savannahs and farms to towns and cities. |
From a perch on a tree, wire, fence, etc., the bird sallies out to capture insects in flight; also hovers and drops to ground for insects there.
3-4, sometimes 5. Creamy buff or pinkish, with blotching of brown and purple often concentrated at large end. Incubation is by female only, about 15-16 days. Young: Both parents bring food for nestlings. Young leave the nest about 18-19 days after hatching. Apparently just 1 brood per year in United States part of range.
Both parents bring food for nestlings. Young leave the nest about 18-19 days after hatching. Apparently just 1 brood per year in United States part of range.
Mostly insects. Diet is not known in detail, but feeds mostly on insects, including beetles, flies, grasshoppers, and many others. In the tropics, also eats many berries and small fruits. One Costa Rica study found that it rarely also eats small frogs.
Both parents may chase away larger birds from vicinity of nest, but often seem to tolerate other kingbirds (Western and Cassin's) near nest tree in Arizona; 3 species of kingbirds may nest in same grove of trees. Nest: Placed on horizontal branch or in fork of tree, 6-40' above the ground, usually lower than 25'. Nest (built by female) is a shallow cup of twigs, grasses, stems, bark, plant fibers, lined with plant down, moss, other fine materials.
Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect this bird’s range in the future.
Zoom in to see how this species’s current range will shift, expand, and contract under increased global temperatures.
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
Advocates have long fended off proposals that would deplete Arizona's San Pedro River, but today's threats add up to a daunting challenge.
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