During recent explorations of the Croatan National Forest in Eastern North Carolina I’ve been blessed with Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) encounters. I find these black and gray wildbirds quite attractive.

A large member of the tyrant flycatcher family, this native American bird is frequently found in open areas such as the pine savannas found in the Southeastern United States. When foraging for insects they perch on low bushes and limbs from where the strike out to capture their prey.

A migratory bird, the Eastern Kingbird spends its winters in the forests of South America, returning to North America to breed in the Spring. Their preferred breeding areas include wetlands, grasslands and open woodlands areas. The are commonly seen along the edges of forests or water.

To photograph these lovely little birds I use a Canon 7D Mark II with a Sigma 150mm to 600mm Contemporary lens. While I prefer to image small avian subjects using a tripod, hand holding is often necessary as these subjects move quickly and frequently.

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