Tropical Kingbird

Tropical Kingbird is an unusual vagrant in Sonoma County. Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) is the only kingbird/flycatcher of the genus Tyrannus normally present here. Tropical Kingbird is typically reported once or twice a year (if at all), most often at Bodega Bay or elsewhere along the coast, usually during autumn migration. Parmeter and Wight note "22 sightings of 29 individual birds" between 2000 and 2010. Elsewhere in the county, Tropical Kingbird has been seen at Shollenberger Park. Tropical Kingbird shows up as a vagrant fairly regularly at outer Point Reyes, in neighboring Marin County. Tropical Kingbird's normal range is from southern Arizona and southernmost Texas south. Ordinarily these birds move further south, into South America, during the winter. Why a few should go the opposite direction each year--they've been noted as far north as southern Alaska--I don't know. Usually seen perched on telephone lines or fence posts or flycatching from these or similar perches. Usually solitary. Kingbirds mid- to late September through November are always worth looking at closely, especially at the coast, to be certain that what might appear to be a Western Kingbird isn’t actually a Tropical Kingbird.

Tropical Kingbird is yellow-olive on the upper breast where Western Kingbird is grey and notably olive on the upper back as well. It has more white in the cheek and throat, and has a longer, heavier bill. The yellow of the belly extends further up the breast than in Western Kingbird, into the area that's grey on the more common bird. Tropical Kingbird shows a notch in its folded tail, and the tail is browner than that of Western Kingbird. Western Kingbird lacks the notch, while Tropical Kingbird lacks the white outer tail feathers of Western Kingbird (which, however, can be hard to see in the field). Note that juvenile Western Kingbirds may have a little olive on the back, suggesting Tropical Kingbird. Reddish-orange crown patch usually concealed.

Selected county sightings: Whaleship Rd., Bodega Bay (September 30-October 2, 2012, John Kelly); Doran Regional Park entrance (February 8, 2012); Near Diekmann's Bay Store (December 5, 2011 , Rich Stallcup); Bodega Bay (November 26, 2011, Cory Gregory); Near Jenner (October 21, 2010, Lisa Hug); Doran Regional Park (October 2, 2009, Bob Lewis); Shollenberger Park (August 28, 2009, Dan Noreen, Mary Rooney)