This week's Bird of the Week is Couch's Kingbird!
The Couch's Kingbird is one of several yellow bellied kingbirds that live in the western half of the United States. It has a bit more yellow on its chest than most other kingbirds. It also has a gray head, white throat, olive back and a black tail and wings. They are nearly identical to the Tropical Kingbird, and are usually impossible to tell apart unless you hear it call. The Couch's Kingbird makes a high pitched "brreeer" call. Like many other flycatchers, this one finds exposed perches in semi-open areas and catches flying insects from them.
Couch's Kingbirds can be found in southern Texas, mostly in the summer, and in Mexico and parts of Central America year-round. The first New York state record was identified in the West Village, Manhattan on Christmas, having been there for a few weeks before that. It was first seen many foranging from trees, but over the past few days it usually flycatches from fire escapes and plucks insects off of buildings. The bird is often seen now at Bank and Hudson Street, along with several other spots and has likely been seen by at least a few hundred people so far (including myself). The bird is still here (as of 1/3/15)
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