Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis
Western Kingbirds are summer visitors and nesters in dry grassy inland habitat in the Bay Area, often seen perched on roadside
fences, from which they acrobatically hunt airborne insects.
Above, a kingbird extended to catch a bee; below, the usual perched posture.
Above, looking down from on high; below, taking off from the characteristic perch on barbed-wire.
The Western Kingbird differs from the somewhat similar Cassin's Kingbird in having
more or less solid-colored wing coverts where those of Cassin's are white-tipped, forming
wingbars; for other differences see the Cassin's page.