Angry bird for the Angry Birds bag….
Today we banded our first Gray kingbird!(AOU code GRAK). This species is a common summer resident in south Florida but usually is in open areas or along wires where we are not netting. This young bird hit our most exposed net and delighted all of us with its feisty nature. Several characteristics stood out in the hand: the huge bill, the mask around the eyes and the soft yellow of the undersides of the wings. Gray kingbirds are incredibly bold in defense of the nest; I saw two attack a Magnificent frigatebird a few weekends ago in the Florida Keys because the frigate wandered into the airspace over the kingbird nest in the mangroves.
We banded 12 birds total today including this Prothonotary warbler; a tie with yesterday for most birds banded in one day this season. Migration has been off to a slow start in 2014 across the entire southern Atlantic coast, but birds may finally be on the move this week. Showers from low pressure coming up out of the Caribbean encouraged a few birds to put down at Cape Florida. We’re still waiting on a real front to pass, however. August totals: DailyTotals_Aug2014
Glad to see things are picking up and even more excited to see y’all got a first record!!
Whoa! That bill is King.
What a cool bird! Thanks for pointing out the soft yellow under the wings. And the prothonotary warbler is cuuuuuute! 🙂
Kingbirds rule! Nice job, guys!