Bird
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
A summer resident that nests in Virginia. Found in all 133 counties and cities, across 29 habitats.
- Here
- Summer
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 29

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- Summer
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 29
- Habitat models
- Summer
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Virginia 29
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.


Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone










Streams, rivers and their banks


Depression ponds and limesinks
Shallow ponds in Coastal Plain depressions, such as limesinks and the ponds in some Carolina bays, that rise and fall with the seasons.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Marshes along tidal rivers where the water is fresh but rises and falls with the tide.
Granite and other acidic rock outcrops
Bare or thin-soil rock on granite, gneiss, sandstone, quartzite and similar acidic rock, including granite flatrocks and domes.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Wet, open, peaty mountain wetlands fed by seepage, often with sphagnum moss.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Steep, sun-baked slopes of loose shale with sparse oaks and Virginia pine and their own endemic wildflowers. Linked only where the source names shale barrens; calcareous shale stays with the limestone glades.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Cliffs, ledges and rocky summits

Salt and brackish open water of sounds, bays and estuaries, with the mud and sand flats and seagrass beds that tides cover and uncover; the vegetated marsh is salt and brackish marshes.
Other habitats in its models (183)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Virginia.
- Developed, Medium Intensity Summer.
- Barren Land Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Central Interior Calcareous Cliff and Talus Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Central Interior Acidic Cliff and Talus Summer, beside its main habitat.
- North-Central Appalachian Circumneutral Cliff and Talus Summer, beside its main habitat.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Dry Chalk Bluff Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Southern Appalachian Granitic Dome Summer, beside its main habitat.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Summer.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Summer.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer.
- Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Summer.
- Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Summer.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Summer.
- Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Summer.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Florida Peninsula Inland Scrub Summer.
- Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Summer.
- Tamaulipan Mesquite Upland Scrub Summer.
- Tamaulipan Calcareous Thornscrub Summer.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer.
- North-Central Oak Barrens Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens Summer, beside its main habitat.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Western Great Plains Mesquite Woodland and Shrubland Summer.
- Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Summer.
- Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Summer.
- Central Tallgrass Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Southern Blackland Tallgrass Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Florida Dry Prairie Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Summer.
- Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Recently Logged Areas Summer.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer.
- Recently Burned Forest Summer.
- Recently Burned Grassland Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Recently Burned Shrubland Summer.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Summer.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Summer.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Summer.
- Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer.
- South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Summer.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Summer.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Summer.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Summer.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Summer.
- South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet Prairie Summer.
- Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Summer.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome Summer.
- Western Great Plains Depressional Wetland Systems Summer.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Summer.
- Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Summer.
- South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Summer.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
- Mississippi River Riparian Forest Summer.
- Cumberland Riverscour Summer.
- Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Summer, beside its main habitat.
- Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Summer.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Summer.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Summer.
Seasons in Virginia
- Summer: nests here, in all 133 counties and cities.
Also found in this habitat
Plants 1302
Plants named in NatureServe descriptions of these habitats that grow in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food.
- Gray's LilyLilium grayi
- Sandhills LilyLilium pyrophilum
- Cardinal-flowerLobelia cardinalis
- Netted Chain-fernLorinseria areolata
- Marsh SeedboxLudwigia palustris
- Cucumber MagnoliaMagnolia acuminata
- Bigleaf MagnoliaMagnolia macrophylla
- Bayard's Adder's-mouthMalaxis bayardii
- Slender BunchflowerMelanthium hybridum
- Three-flower MelicgrassMelica nitens
- Virginia BluebellsMertensia virginica
- Red MulberryMorus rubra
- NestroniaNestronia umbellula
- Water TupeloNyssa aquatica
- Eastern Prickly PearOpuntia humifusa
- Golden-clubOrontium aquaticum
- Rough-leaved Ricegrass, White-grained Mountain RicegrassOryzopsis asperifolia
- Hairy Sweet-cicelyOsmorhiza claytonii
- Golden RagwortPackera aurea
- Canby's Mountain-loverPaxistima canbyi
- Halberd-leaf TearthumbPersicaria arifolia
- Arrowleaf TearthumbPersicaria sagittata
- Coville's PhaceliaPhacelia covillei
- Fringed PhaceliaPhacelia fimbriata
Wildlife 265
Other animals whose habitat models include the same habitats in Virginia. Not sighting records.
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virens
- American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
- American GoldfinchCarduelis tristis
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Yellow-rumped WarblerDendroica coronata
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
- Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
- Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitus
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- American KestrelFalco sparverius
- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
NatureServe Explorer, CC BY 4.0. USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP summer habitat model for Eastern Kingbird Elevation -47 to 914 m. Avoids forest interior
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)








































