Western Kingbird Population Analysis
Western Kingbird has risen sharply: up 54% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Western Kingbird
The Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) is a North American member of the Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the aerial insectivores.
- Size
- 4.5–9 in long (12–23 cm) — a small to medium flycatcher (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open airspace over fields, water and towns; nests in cavities, earthen banks or on structures.
- Diet
- Flying insects caught on the wing.
- Range
- Recorded on 1,622 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 29 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Tyrannidae · Aerial insectivores
Notable Western Kingbird TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
Western Kingbird has risen sharply in surveyed states: up 54% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
Western Kingbird Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Western Kingbird is projected to rise about 30% by 2030 — from 2.4 in 2025 to a central estimate of 3.2 (95% range 2.3–4.1). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±48.9%, with 0% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Western Kingbird Is Detected
BBS routes recording Western Kingbird, sized by most recent count.
Western Kingbird Population Trend by State
Western Kingbird Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Western Kingbird Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 54% since 1969. Aerial insectivores have fallen sharply across the continent, a decline widely linked to dwindling insect prey.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.