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
- An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report
On an early evening walk on May 11, I came across a Great Egret foraging near high tide at the Salt Marsh in Inwood Hill Park. I usually take my walks in the early morning, and the egret usually forages near times of low tide, so this was new for both of us. The Great… Read more: An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report - Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
During spring migration season in an old-growth forest like Inwood Hill Park, be sure to look for birds wandering along the park paths or in the dense foliage near the ground. While we are often straining our necks looking for warblers and other small songbirds in the high canopy, some warblers like the Ovenbird or… Read more: Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery - A Flurry of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers Flickering, and a Great Egret Returns
Today, April 22, 2026, is Earth Day, a time to learn more about and advocate for the health of our home planet. The birds depend on us. A great thing about being out in nature in the morning is that a memorable morning with birds can last all day. Whatever I’m doing, whatever happens during… Read more: A Flurry of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers Flickering, and a Great Egret Returns - The Kinglets of the Forest, with More Stories and Tech-Related Mishaps in the Age of Digital Birding
So tiny and fast. They were kinglets, and I saw both kinds this week in the forested areas of Inwood Hill Park. Kinglets are either golden-crowned or ruby-crowned, fast-moving, and constantly in search of insects. They may be distinguished by the color of their crowns and the coloring around the eyes. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet features… Read more: The Kinglets of the Forest, with More Stories and Tech-Related Mishaps in the Age of Digital Birding - Northern Mockingbird – The Bossiest Singer in the Park
Northern Mockingbirds are famous for their expressive and varied songs, often mimicking other birds. All this month, whenever I have had occasion to walk in Inwood Hill Park or Sherman Creek Park, I’ve come across a loud mockingbird singing its heart out.
Birds of Inwood 
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