{"id":147589,"date":"2025-05-29T02:42:08","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T07:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=147589"},"modified":"2025-05-28T14:37:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T19:37:49","slug":"eastern-kingbird-at-lower-scarborough-slough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/05\/29\/eastern-kingbird-at-lower-scarborough-slough\/","title":{"rendered":"Eastern Kingbird At Lower Scarborough Slough"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last time I was at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma in May, I photographed this handsome Eastern Kingbird at Lower Scarborough Slough.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Eastern Kingbird at Lower Scarborough Slough \u2013 Canon R7, beanbag, f10, 1\/800, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Eastern Kingbirds were numerous at and near Lower Scarborough Slough, as well as throughout the rest of the refuge. It was great to see so many of these dapper kingbirds and to be able to photograph a few.<\/p>\n

Most of the kingbirds I saw were either perched, scanning for prey, or flying after it. This particular kingbird stayed on the perch long enough for me to take a nice series of photos of her or him.<\/p>\n

While the background of this image might look like a tree with leafy branches, it’s actually aquatic plants growing in the slough.The bits of blue in the background are reflections of the sky on the water.<\/p>\n

I’m hoping that I will be able to photograph young Eastern Kingbirds<\/span><\/a> this year. I missed out on that last breeding season. The young kingbirds are so much fun to watch and observe through my viewfinder.<\/p>\n

Eastern Kingbirds preferred habitats include overgrown fields, forest edges, open areas with scattered shrubs or trees, urban environments including golf courses and parks and areas near water with overhanging trees.<\/p>\n

During their breeding season, these kingbirds eat primarily insects. In their nonbreeding season, in the forests of South America, they mostly eat fruit.<\/p>\n

Eastern Kingbirds are \u201ctyrants\u201d and will attack much larger birds that come near their nests. They are very, very protective of their nests and young.<\/p>\n

I love watching, hearing, and photographing Eastern Kingbirds, and I am happy to see them in Arkansas and Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Eastern Kingbird photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The last time I was at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma in May, I photographed this handsome Eastern Kingbird at Lower Scarborough Slough.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":147586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1519,13973,13974],"tags":[4004,14190,13984,1521,3791,3772,14912,4104,13976,165,1635,298],"class_list":["post-147589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-eastern-kingbirds","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-adult","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forest","tag-bottomlands","tag-eastern-kingbird","tag-kingbird","tag-kingbirds","tag-lower-scarborough-slough","tag-perched","tag-slough","tag-spring","tag-tyrannus-tyrannus","tag-tyrant-flycatchers-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eastern-kingbird-lower-scarborough-slough-mia-mcpherson-7493.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-Cot","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":128683,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/23\/spring-eastern-kingbird-photos-from-tishomingo-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":147589,"position":0},"title":"Spring Eastern Kingbird Photos From Tishomingo NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Since my arrival in Oklahoma, I've had fun taking Eastern Kingbird photos at the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. I've seen dozens of these kingbirds there.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Kingbird perched in a mulberry, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eastern-kingbird-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-0547.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eastern-kingbird-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-0547.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eastern-kingbird-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-0547.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eastern-kingbird-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-0547.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5209,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/21\/perched-eastern-kingbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":147589,"position":1},"title":"Perched Eastern Kingbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I always look forward to seeing and photographing Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) during the warmer months of the year. I was fortunate to see a few yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Kingbird perched on an old fence post, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-perched-mia-mcpherson-8943.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-perched-mia-mcpherson-8943.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-perched-mia-mcpherson-8943.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-perched-mia-mcpherson-8943.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6022,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/08\/31\/springtime-eastern-kingbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":147589,"position":2},"title":"Springtime Eastern Kingbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 31, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The scientific name of Eastern Kingbirds is Tyrannus tyrannus, Tyrannus means \"tyrant\" and they are well named because they will harass any bird that comes near their nests including crows, ravens and much larger birds like hawks.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Kingbird back view, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36910,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/09\/western-and-eastern-kingbird-juveniles\/","url_meta":{"origin":147589,"position":3},"title":"Western and Eastern Kingbird Juveniles","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I feel fortunate that I am able to see and photograph both the Western and Eastern Kingbird juveniles here in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Eastern Kingbird perched on a fence post at Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/eastern-kingbird-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-2786.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/eastern-kingbird-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-2786.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/eastern-kingbird-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-2786.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/eastern-kingbird-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-2786.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129402,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/12\/sick-western-kingbird-or-is-it-two-kingbirds\/","url_meta":{"origin":147589,"position":4},"title":"Sick Western Kingbird Or Is It Two Kingbirds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Not every trip I make into the field is filled with joy, butterflies, and rainbows. Sometimes, I come across injured or sick birds, like this Western Kingbird.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Unhealthy adult Western Kingbird, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/western-kingbird-sick-mia-mcpherson-9550.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/western-kingbird-sick-mia-mcpherson-9550.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/western-kingbird-sick-mia-mcpherson-9550.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/western-kingbird-sick-mia-mcpherson-9550.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21167,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/04\/03\/eastern-kingbird-on-the-road-to-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":147589,"position":5},"title":"Eastern Kingbird On The Road To Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I only have time for a quick post this morning and decided to post one of the migrant kingbirds I look forward to seeing every year, an Eastern Kingbird.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Kingbird on the road to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-5992.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-5992.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-5992.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147589\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}