Eastern Kingbirds in Ontario
When eastern kingbirds are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect eastern kingbirds in Ontario
Eastern Kingbirds are summer residents in Ontario, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on bees, wasps and beetles.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, eastern kingbirds typically nest from June–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.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Eastern Kingbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, sugar maple, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Ontario plants that attract eastern kingbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover eastern kingbirds use:
Fruit and cover.
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Feeding eastern kingbirds through the Ontario year
Kingbirds fearlessly chase hawks and crows; they perch on fences over open fields.
- Best foods: .
- In Ontario's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are eastern kingbirds in Ontario year-round?
No. Eastern Kingbirds are summer breeders in Ontario and leave for the winter.
When do eastern kingbirds nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs June–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 14–17 days.
What native plants attract eastern kingbirds in Ontario?
Red-osier dogwood, Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for eastern kingbirds.
Eastern Kingbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- Eastern Kingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Kingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Kingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.