The Gray Kingbird

The gray kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) can easily be seen all over the island, although it seems to prefer open areas, perching on trees and telephone lines and taking short flights to nab flying insects. It’s a talkative, graceful bird from the family known as tyrant flycatchers.

Today I saw a bunch of them while walking from Bellevue to Mont Fortune. I also learned what they do when they catch a large, feisty insect like a katydid. They hold it in their beak and bash it against a branch until it is easier to swallow. Check it out in the photos below.

Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>)
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>) Eating Katydid
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>) Eating Katydid
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>) Eating Katydid
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>) Eating Katydid
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>) Eating Katydid
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>) Eating Katydid
Gray Kingbird (<em>Tyrannus dominicensis</em>)

This entry was posted on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 4:12 pm and is filed under Les Fruits sur la Terre, Pour les Sciences. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Response to “The Gray Kingbird”

  1. Valérie Ménoret Says:
    January 30th, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    Mark,

    Whaou! I like this photos!

    KisS
    Valérie