Cover image: Eastern Kingbird on the Peninsula. Inwood Hill Park. July 6, 2023
For the past few days, as well as for the past few months and possibly for years, an Eastern Kingbird has fiercely guarded its seasonal territory on the Peninsula in Inwood Hill Park. This narrow strip of land, home to the neighborhood’s Little League baseball games and a popular spot for picnics, offers great views of the Henry Hudson Bridge and the Palisades across the Hudson River. Earlier this week a Great Blue Heron was spotted fishing just off the tip.
A territorial bird by nature, the Eastern Kingbird often sits near the top of one of the trees overlooking the Salt Marsh. Its scientific name is Tyrannus tyrannus. From the tree tops, this flycatcher can easily forage for insects.
Eastern Kingbirds frequently vocalize in a high pitch metallic voice. On the Peninsula in Inwood, the bird finds itself in competition with Northern Mockingbirds as well as a Song Sparrow that has commanded a tree facing the Harlem River. The birds seem to have worked out an agreement.
The Eastern Kingbird is rather distinguished in appearance. With its black head, dark wings, a white square tail, and a contrasting light throat and underbelly, this medium size bird is relatively easy to spot. It holds itself upright with excellent posture.
The Peninsula in Inwood Hill Park makes an ideal summer home for an Eastern Kingbird. They prefer to breed in grasslands and wetlands, and they thrive along the edges of the forest and water. This territory checks all the boxes. For the winter season, they are known as long-distance migrants with destinations in the forests of South America.
Recent posts
- The Slow, Cold Start of Birdwatching in 2026
The dawn of the first day of January brought cold, piercing winds and a surprising early morning snow squall. It was the kind of day to stay indoors and drink tea. The first bird I saw that day was the Cooper’s Hawk of Cooper Street, a sighting from my kitchen window. The Cooper’s Hawk is… Read more: The Slow, Cold Start of Birdwatching in 2026 - Observing Birds Outside the Window: The Comforts and Surprises of Birdwatching During a Winter Storm
On Tuesday, December 2, a Nor’easter barreled through New York City, bringing a cold, steady rain for most of the day. Areas to the north and west got the snow, but most of NYC was just out of range for a nice snowfall. My plans for birdwatching were rained out. Or, so I thought. When… Read more: Observing Birds Outside the Window: The Comforts and Surprises of Birdwatching During a Winter Storm - A Thanksgiving with Hawks and All the Birds of Inwood
When I was a young girl growing up in Texas, my family liked to take a walk in the neighborhood on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. We gathered autumn leaves and branches to decorate the dinner table. A great pecan tree grew in our front yard, alongside a magnolia and its fragrant blossoms for a… Read more: A Thanksgiving with Hawks and All the Birds of Inwood - Easy Fall Birding with White-throated Sparrows
Even if I have only ten minutes to go birdwatching this time of year, I can always walk to the edge of Inwood Hill Park, look down, and find at least a dozen White-throated Sparrows. Pretty birds with white throats and yellow lores, these sparrows also possess a sweet, lilting song. Cornell’s All About… Read more: Easy Fall Birding with White-throated Sparrows - The Birds for Our New York City Moment
Over the course of several busy and consequential days for New York City— a thrilling Halloween Parade, a photo finish for the NYC Marathon, and the city’s historic mayoral election— thousands of birds flew overhead. Some were late migrants en route to winter homes and springtime in the Southern Hemisphere. Other birds came here to… Read more: The Birds for Our New York City Moment
Birds of Inwood 
Comments welcome!