Keeping an eye on the residents of 'Kingbird Corner'

The stucco hacienda, where The Lady of the House and I reside, sits on a corner we call "Kingbird Corner," in honor of the birds who drop in in late spring and disappear in August/September, the Western Kingbird.

When they arrive for the season, one or two of them hang out at our place chattering and snapping bugs out of the sky.

In late April or early May, if one listens to the springtime birdsong of the avian residents of eastern New Mexico and west Texas, you might catch the chattering sound of the Western Kingbird's return to our area.

I know they fly up from Central America but that's about all I know about these visitors. So I sought out someone who could tell a bit about the Western Kingbird and another migratory visitor to our area, the Mississippi Kite.

Retired Game Warden Wes Robertson seemed like a natural source but he referred me to Kathy Granillo, president of the New Mexico Ornithological Society.

While Granillo lives in Albuquerque she apparently knows a lot about the state's avian residents and visitors, including those in eastern New Mexico.

Granillo, a wildlife biologist/ornithologist, worked for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for over 30 years. Granillo graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and received her master's degree from the University of Idaho.

Granillo said the Western Kingbird and the Mississippi Kite are just two of hundreds of species of birds that pass through or stay a bit in eastern New Mexico.

The Western Kingbird and Mississippi Kite might be the most noticeable birds: The kingbird for its yellow underbelly, chattering call and dive-bombing intersections for insects; the Mississippi Kite for sometimes "strafing" people who get too close to their nests.

"There are migrants, breeders, residents and wintering birds in the area. The Western Kingbird and the Mississippi Kite come here to breed," Granillo said.

Granillo said the Western Kingbirds are common all over the west, the Mississippi Kites' territory only just "squeaks" into New Mexico.

"Both of these species like cities because of the trees and lights. You can pack a lot of kites in a tree and streetlights attract bugs, the kingbird's favorite food," Granillo said.

As for "strafing" people who venture too close to kites' nests, Granillo said the birds do have personalities.

"Some are more tolerant than others about people being around," Granillo said.

Why do the birds migrate?

"Oh, if only we knew," Granillo said.

Granillo pointed out insects are a key item on each bird's "menu."

"An abundance of insects brings the birds here and as the insects die off toward the fall it's time for them to head south," Granillo said.

The Western Kingbird is of the flycatcher family. When they come to eastern New Mexico the males arrive first and establish territory.

"When they arrive they make a lot of noise. That's for mating and establishing territory. Then as baby birds are born and are in the nest the birds get quieter as they don't want to call attention to their location," Granillo said.

When it's time to leave, the Western Kingbird returns to southern Mexico and Central America, the Mississippi Kite flies off to far southeastern South America.

Oh, to know the travelers' tales of those birds.

Grant McGee is editor of The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him:

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