***Federal - MBTA***

    One of the first flycatchers to return in spring is the Eastern Kingbird.  They are also one of the more conspicuous.  As large as a Robin and boldly colored with black and white, Eastern Kingbirds  tend to choose perches that amplify their apparent size.  They are also an aggressive bird attacking and defending territories from birds equal their size or larger.  Kingbirds, like other flycatchers, often sit on exposed perches from which they wait for insects to fly by.  They then dart out, grab the insect, and return to the same spot.  That behavior is termed "Flycatching" and is the basis for the name of the family.  Insects are the staple of a Kingbird's diet they also feed on berries and small fruits which they pluck from trees while in flight.