Bird in central California (San Luis NWR) (1 Viewer)

[marcsantacurz]

Taken Aug 18, 2018 at the San Luis national wildlife refuge in central california, just north of Los Banos.

As you can see, he is on a wire between telephone poles and is not a big bird. Whenever I saw one like this, it seemed solitary.

Thanks,
Marc

 

[UtahnBirder]

Western Kingbird, distinguished from Cassin’s by white outer tail feathers.

 

[Lisa W]

Yep, Western Kingbird

 

[marcsantacurz]

Thank you

 

[marcsantacurz]

Ha! looked it up in the Nat Geo field guide and they have all the kingbirds lined up on a telephone wire pretty much exactly like in my photo!

 

[Lisa W]

Ha! looked it up in the Nat Geo field guide and they have all the kingbirds lined up on a telephone wire pretty much exactly like in my photo!

When I lived in Southeast Arizona 95%> of the kingbirds I saw were on wires!

 

[Andy Adcock]

Just off the top of my head but shouldn't Western have a square cut tail?

 

[Lisa W]

Just off the top of my head but shouldn't Western have a square cut tail?

A lot of photos show it as squared off, I think that is when the tail is a little splayed out. It is actually notched. The biggest diagnostic, for me, is that white on the outer tail feathers.
Per Cornell labs: “... The common yellow-bellied kingbirds found in the western United States can be readily identified by their tail patterns and calls. (Western Kingbird has white outer tail feathers; Cassin's has a white tip to the tail; Tropical and Couch's lack white in the tail and have larger bills.) ... “