Photo: Dick Daniels (http://theworldbirds.org/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey Kingbird
Tyrannus dominicensis
Grey Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 46.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Tyrannus
- Species dominicensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 46.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey Kingbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey Kingbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Grey Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA se USA and West Indies.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 46.5 g, with a wing length of about 11.7 cm and a tail of around 8.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 576,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey Kingbird?
The Grey Kingbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 46.5 g.
Where does the Grey Kingbird live?
The Grey Kingbird is found across North America with a range covering NA se USA and West Indies, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Grey Kingbird belong to?
The Grey Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey Kingbird eat?
The Grey Kingbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Grey Kingbird migrate?
The Grey Kingbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Grey Kingbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Grey Kingbird make?
1 real field recording of the Grey Kingbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey Kingbird's range?
The Grey Kingbird has a mapped global range of about 576,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.