{"id":37497,"date":"2016-03-27T06:20:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-27T12:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=37497"},"modified":"2025-11-08T10:20:02","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T16:20:02","slug":"adult-western-kingbird-close-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/27\/adult-western-kingbird-close-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Adult Western Kingbird Close Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Western Kingbird – Nikon D7100, f9, 1\/1600, ISO 500, +.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 300mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though spring has arrived in northern Utah the weather is still very changeable and when I go out into the field to find birds I never quite know what I might see, especially when a weather front is coming in or has just passed. I do know that I keep my eyes wide open and my ears tuned in for familiar and unfamiliar sounds. You just never know what you might see.<\/p>\n

I haven’t seen or heard kingbirds yet this year but I expect to see one any day now. I enjoy seeing kingbirds hawking for prey, building their nests and chasing other birds out of their territory. They are quite vocal and many times I hear them before I see them.<\/p>\n

This adult Western Kingbird close up was photographed two years ago on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a> as it perched on a sign post close to a nest site. I can’t remember if it was looking for prey or keeping an eye on an intruder but I remember being grateful that it perched so close that I could see wonderful details in its plumage.<\/p>\n

Spring is such an exciting time for me as a bird photographer because of the migrants that are trickling in to breed here or the ones that pass through heading much further north to their nesting grounds and it is a change of pace from all of the birds I photograph during the winter.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

This adult Western Kingbird close up was photographed two years ago on Antelope Island State Park as it perched on a sign post close to a nest site.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":163171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,1022,26,534],"tags":[4004,4142,4098,3808,4884,9070,3791,3772,4104,4394,4018,4183,298,4411,8917],"class_list":["post-37497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","category-western-kingbirds","tag-adult","tag-close-up","tag-desert","tag-flycatcher","tag-flycatchers","tag-island","tag-kingbird","tag-kingbirds","tag-perched","tag-post","tag-sky","tag-tyrannus-verticalis","tag-tyrant-flycatchers-2","tag-western-kingbird","tag-wooden-post"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-9KN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":113327,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/05\/08\/my-first-of-year-western-kingbird-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":37497,"position":0},"title":"My First Of Year Western Kingbird Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"On my last trip to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was tickled to take my first of year Western Kingbird photos when I was heading back to the interstate.","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":"First of year Western Kingbird on a barb wire fence, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":128683,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/23\/spring-eastern-kingbird-photos-from-tishomingo-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":37497,"position":1},"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, 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Kingbird adult on nest, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":67310,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/25\/i-spotted-my-first-of-season-western-kingbirds-four-days-ago\/","url_meta":{"origin":37497,"position":3},"title":"I Spotted My First Of Season Western Kingbirds Four Days Ago","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was up in Box Elder County, Utah four days ago I spotted my first of season Western Kingbirds chasing each other around in flight near a ranch.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Begging juvenile Western Kingbird, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-juvenile-begging-mia-mcpherson-0604.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-juvenile-begging-mia-mcpherson-0604.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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at Lower Scarborough Slough, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eastern-kingbird-lower-scarborough-slough-mia-mcpherson-7493.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eastern-kingbird-lower-scarborough-slough-mia-mcpherson-7493.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eastern-kingbird-lower-scarborough-slough-mia-mcpherson-7493.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eastern-kingbird-lower-scarborough-slough-mia-mcpherson-7493.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":37497,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37497","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=37497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}