Michigan · Summer breeder

Eastern Kingbirds in Michigan

When eastern kingbirds are present in Michigan, when they nest, which native Michigan plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–6b yard.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus

Status in Michigan: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–6b

When to expect eastern kingbirds in Michigan

Eastern Kingbirds are summer residents in Michigan, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on bees, wasps and beetles.

Humid continental, strongly shaped by the Great Lakes; colder and snowier in the Upper Peninsula.

Nesting in Michigan

Across Michigan, eastern kingbirds typically nest from May–July. Nest site: cup on horizontal tree limbs, often over water. Females lay 2–5 eggs, incubate for 14–17 days, and young leave the nest after 16–17 days.

A compressed nesting season; bluebirds usually manage one or two broods.

Eastern Kingbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, eastern hemlock, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Michigan plants that attract eastern kingbirds

Of the regional native plants we track for Michigan, these 8 provide food or cover eastern kingbirds use:

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Winter fruit.

Eastern hemlock

Tsuga canadensis · Tree

Seeds and dense winter shelter.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Feeding eastern kingbirds through the Michigan year

Kingbirds fearlessly chase hawks and crows; they perch on fences over open fields.

Best foods: .
In Michigan's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for eastern kingbirds

Frequently asked

Are eastern kingbirds in Michigan year-round?

No. Eastern Kingbirds are summer breeders in Michigan and leave for the winter.

When do eastern kingbirds nest in Michigan?

Nesting in Michigan typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 14–17 days.

What native plants attract eastern kingbirds in Michigan?

Winterberry, Eastern hemlock, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak are native plants in Michigan that provide food or cover for eastern kingbirds.

Other backyard birds in Michigan

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.