Recently I’ve made several posts of the female Western Kingbird as she constructed her nest. This morning I’d like to focus on her mate.
Male Western Kingbirds take no part in nest construction or incubation. Nor do they feed the female while she’s on the nest (she leaves the nest to feed several times per day). But he’s always there, seeming to offer encouragement and watch carefully over the proceedings. His primary role during this process is to guard the nest against other birds, kingbirds in particular.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
He nearly always perched nearby as he waited for her to bring in nesting material and occasionally he was almost on top of the nest when she came in. Here he’s watching her arrange nesting material in the nest just below him and to his left.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
When he was this close and she flew into or out of the nest he would often seem to greet her or encourage her enthusiastically by raising his wings, fluttering them and chattering at her. The early morning light created a warm glow under his wings and elsewhere.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
At times it almost seemed as if he was waving at her with his wing as she passed by.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
This photo was taken the following morning on the same perch as he performed the greeting ritual as she flew by. I find it interesting that he grasped the same two twigs for support each time he landed here. I suspect he knew that one of them alone wouldn’t provide enough support.
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
After an absence of six days due to poor weather and light we visited these kingbirds again yesterday morning. As I suspected would be the case the nest was finished and the female was incubating eggs. But sure enough the male was there standing guard over the nest and his mate during a brief rain shower. He was further away this time but I thought the raindrops in the background with good light on the bird made for an interesting image anyway.
Ron
What a wonderful behavioral series Ron!
Charlotte
Ron, another terrific behavioral study. I was fortunate to watch a similar proceeding the other morning with a Great Crested Flycatcher pair. She was quite busy cleaning out an old woodpecker cavity and he stood guard and had to chase away a European Starling, two Red-bellied woodpeckers and a stubborn Red-headed Woodpecker. No wonder the males don’t help with nest building, they’re too darned tired!
The last image with the rain falling reeks atmosphere! Love it!
Picture three is “I will now do interpretive dance.” 😀 Fun!
There is a very protective air about him and it would be interesting to see him go “into action” if another bird ventured too close.Curious if he helps to feed the young.
Yes, he does, Jane. Both sexes feed the young by regurgitation for the first two days. They feed them insects after that.
Lovely!
Great series of photos. Apparently the male king birds haven’t gotten the memo that says male parenting/family participation is the in thing these days. But he sure is beautiful. The second, third and fourth photos look like all his excuses of why he can’t help…
I am loving this series. Thank you.
Love this glimpse into the behaviors and lives of these little guys…and the comments. Especially love the “waving”, welcoming and encouraging exhibited by the the “cheerleader-watchman. He’s really cute! His “combed back hairdo” reminds me of a much loved brother-in-law I had. The detail in these shots is so fine, it even picks up a stray rictal or two!
So very lovely. Thank you for the special look into their lives.
What a glorious series of photographs. Just beautiful. Love the last one, as he is so poignantly standing guard in the rain. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for sharing the role of the supportive male Western Kingbird so vividly with us! Knowing the ongoing ‘dance’ between the pair enriches my overall sense of them and appreciation immeasurably.
Agreed, Alison – for many of us more knowledge equals more appreciation. At least it does for me and apparently it does for you too.
Great series. Wonderful images.
I “pick” the first (that inquisitive look is beautiful) and the last one because (I agree with you) it is very interesting to see the raindrops and where the action took place.
Thank you for sharing this beauty.
Jorge, I agree with you about that first shot. Interesting that you picked up on it too as I thought perhaps one “had to be there” to actually visualize the female on the nest right below him that he was watching so carefully.
this is such a charming birdie … beautiful series of images, Ron!!
Thanks very much, Lois.