Birds of North Carolina
their Distribution and Abundance
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
TYRANNIDAE Members:
General Comments
This abundant Neotropical species ranges north to extreme southern Texas and southern Arizona. However, there are some migratory movements of the Tropical Kingbird, and thus strays have appeared as far east as the Atlantic Coast, and on many occasions to the Pacific Coast. Because this species looks very similar to the Couch's Kingbird, which is limited mainly to eastern Mexico and southern Texas, identification of the species pair away from the breeding grounds must typically rely on the distinctive vocalizations. In fact, the astounding first record for North Carolina, in winter 1985-86, which had photographic documentation, was turned down for publication in a national journal because no voice recordings were made, despite the distinctive high-pitched twittering call being often heard. In the state, the seven records are from coastal and Tidewater areas; two are from farmland habitat, with fields, telephone lines, and animal feedlots in the vicinity.
Breeding Status
Nonbreeder
NC BRC List
The species' status on the List of Bird Species of North Carolina: either Definitive, Provisional, or Extinct, as administered by the NC Bird Records Committee. The Provisional List contains species for which there are less than three accepted sight (i.e., non-documented) records. Species of unaccepted origin are not included on the List of Bird Species of North Carolina.
Definitive
State Status
none
U.S. Status
Definitive
State Rank
SZ
Global Rank
G5
Coastal Plain
Casual stray. There are seven records, five in fall or early winter: one near Fairfield (Hyde), 29 Dec 1985 - 3 Jan 1986* (Chat 54:57); one at Pea Island, 29 Oct - 19 Nov 2001* (Chat 66:34), (Chat 67:2-3); one near Lake Phelps (Washington), 19 Nov - 26 Dec 2005* (Chat 70:10), (Chat 70:31); one at Mackay Island NWR (Currituck), 13 Oct - 6 Nov 2023* (Chat 88:15), (Chat 88:57); and one at North River Preserve (Carteret), 6 Oct 2024 (Chat 89:25). Each of these records is documented with photos, though only one has voice recordings. However, the 2024 record, with photos, was not accepted by the NC BRC as a Tropical Kingbird but just to the Tropical/Couch's pair, owing to a lack of vocalizations heard/described or recorded (Chat 90:24). The sixth record, also documented with photos, was one at North River Preserve on 3 Jun 2017* (Chat 81:107-108), (Chat 82:56). A seventh record was one photographed on the southern Core Banks (Carteret) on 4 May 2020 (Chat 84:99); this report has not yet been reviewed by the NC BRC. There are at least two other reports of the species pair, almost certainly a Tropical based on likelihood -- Couch's almost never strays far from its breeding range. Note that several of the records above potentially could be re-voted on, owing to a lack of a recording or published description of the calls/songs. However, there is as yet no evidence or suggestion that any of these might have been a Couch's Kingbird.
Piedmont
No records.
Mountains
No records.
Finding Tips
1/2*
When birding along and near the coast, be aware of any kingbird with yellow underparts. A few decades ago, these were all Westerns, or likely Westerns, but nowadays check very carefully, as this abundant Neotropical species is certainly an identification candidate.