Eastern Kingbird or Gray Kingbird? (1 Viewer)

[Brandon Woo]

A friend of mine saw this while birding in Trinidad over the weekend. Now from the information I’ve gathered, Gray Kingbirds have a distinct dark mask, longer notched tail and bill, larger size, paler overall colour and broader wings whereas Eastern Kingbird have a black head, gray breast and dark gray wings. One more thing, Gray Kingbirds are uncommon residents in Trinidad and there’s only been one record of Eastern Kingbird here (December 1984). Personally I think it’s an Eastern Kingbird as it’s lacking some Gray Kingbird featues…

 

[birdmeister]

I'd say an immature (1st-yr) Eastern Kingbird. Bill size, dark color, etc. make it so hard for me to call this a Gray Kingbird.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a great find by your friend!

 

[tom baxter]

Definitely an Eastern Kingbird.

 

[lockbreeze926]

I've always found GKB to be distinctly paler on head and back, and redder-brown on wings and tail (cf the attached). Also, you can just about see the white tail-tip in your picture, although to be fair, it's usually much more conspicuous than that.

 

[Butty]

you can just about see the white tail-tip in your picture, although to be fair, it's usually much more conspicuous than that

Tail-tip pattern looks wrong for eastern kingbird. I think the apparent pale on the tip (of the outer feathers only) is an effect of light/shade.
Have you got any more photos?

 

[THE_FERN]

I think the apparent pale on the tip (of the outer feathers only) is an effect of light/shade.

I see what you mean but the paler parts of the outer most feathers (apparently white on one side, very greyish on the other) seem to me to be a true reflection of pigmentation. Tail feathers are manky...

 

[Butty]

It seems to show a gape-flange, which, if so, a) would be another mark against it being a North American bird on migration, b) could fit with the tail being ratty but not with the complete white terminal band being worn off.

 

[bugmat]

Hi guys so I and another couple of birders saw this individual that @Brandon Woo shared. I didn't get any good shots (the bird showed or about 3-4 secs) but I'm just adding the rest so you can have a better look at it.

 

[KC Foggin]

I'm with Eastern Kingbird too.

 

[tom baxter]

Tail-tip pattern looks wrong for eastern kingbird. I think the apparent pale on the tip (of the outer feathers only) is an effect of light/shade.
Have you got any more photos?

The bill is not big enough for Gray Kingbird. The face pattern is wrong for Gray Kingbird, which would have a dark mask across the eye that forms a straight line demarcation with the white cheek/malar below, and lighter gray above. This is definitely Eastern Kingbird, and shows the typical face pattern with a monochromatic dark head, and that color continues below the eye without the clean straight demarcation of Gray Kingbird, and it has much smaller bill. Also, it is a 1st year immature bird with pale tipped covert feathers, which would be orangish on an immature Gray Kingbird.

 

[njlarsen]

I've always found GKB to be distinctly paler on head and back, and redder-brown on wings and tail (cf the attached). Also, you can just about see the white tail-tip in your picture, although to be fair, it's usually much more conspicuous than that.

The more reddish brown color on the upperside develops with time after last moult (seemingly due to influence of sun on dark feathers). That does not change the id of the original photo, but your photo is not necessarily typical of all Gray Kingbirds all the time.
Niels

 

[AveryBartels]

It seems to show a gape-flange, which, if so, a) would be another mark against it being a North American bird on migration, b) could fit with the tail being ratty but not with the complete white terminal band being worn off.

A quick look through ebird images filtered for October indicates that birds showing remanence of a gape and significant amount of wear on tail tip (including most/all of white worn off, or white looking very faded/dull) are not too atypical. As a general point of consideration, white wears a lot faster than dark on feathers.