Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 64
Tyrants Rule
SUDDEN SQUAWKS made me look skyward. A raven
flapped past, trying to escape a much smaller bird that kept
darting in from above and pecking at its back. Letting out loud
and aggrieved cries, the raven fled. Its assailant flew up into the
air and then came swooping down. It landed neatly on a branch
in the crown of an apple tree in my backyard, settled its plumage,
and let out a string of buzzing, stuttering notes. It was a kingbird, and
it looked quite pleased with what it had just done.
The eastern kingbird is a member of the Tyrant flycatcher family. Its
relatives include the wood peewee, willow and alder flycatchers, eastern phoebe, and
great-crested flycatcher.
Birds generally defend their breeding territories, and the kingbird seems to take such
behavior to an extreme. Kingbirds fly at and attack potential nest robbers, such as hawks,
ravens, crows and jays. They even strafe unsuspecting birdwatchers who venture too close.
They aggressively drive away other kingbirds. Females sometimes harass their mates.
Slightly smaller than a robin, a kingbird has white underparts, a slate-gray back
and a coal-gray head. A neat white band tips its tail. The crown of a kingbird's
head has a bright red patch that usually remains hidden - until the angry bird
shifts its head feathers and displays that scarlet stripe. A kingbird's mouth has a
startling red interior, revealed when the bird opens its bill to scold.
Kingbirds perch in open terrain near brush or field edges and sally forth to nab
insects out of the air. Noisy and obvious, kingbirds are easy to observe. Watch
one fly into the wind, hold itself in position on fluttering wings, then dart forward
to snatch a fly or even a dragonfly from midair. Kingbirds eat small prey on the
wing and take larger prey back to their perches.
Kingbird fare also includes bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies and moths.
While they can be hot-tempered here on their northern breeding range, on their
South American wintering grounds kingbirds reform themselves; they become
gregarious, hanging out in flocks and feeding mainly on berries.
Kingbirds also eat berries and other fruits toward the end of the breeding
season in the north, and while migrating back and forth between their southern
and northern ranges.
Kingbirds, especially males, show "philopatry," which means they tend to
come back to the previous year's breeding site. I look for them in May, around
the time insect populations begin to increase.
As pretty as they are, these birds deserve their reputation as tyrants.
The ones who nest in my yard definitely rule.
64
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017
Contents
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - Contents
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 2
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 3
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 4
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 5
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 6
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 7
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 8
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 9
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 10
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 11
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 12
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 13
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 14
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 15
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 16
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 17
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 18
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 19
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 20
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 21
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 22
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 23
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 24
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 25
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 26
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 27
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 28
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 29
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 30
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 31
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 32
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 33
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 34
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 35
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 36
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 37
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 38
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 39
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 40
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 41
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 42
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 43
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 44
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 45
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 46
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 47
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 48
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 49
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 50
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 51
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 52
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 53
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 54
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 55
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 56
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 57
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 58
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 59
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 60
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 61
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 62
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 63
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - 64
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2017 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/annualreport2008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pgc/pagamenews_200809
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com