the gray kingbird or grey kingbird , also known as pitirre , petchary , or white-breasted kingbird (tyrannus dominicensis) is a passerine bird .
it breeds from the extreme southeast of the united states , mainly in florida , through central america , from cuba to puerto rico as well as eastward towards all across the lesser west indies , south to venezuela , trinidad , tobago , the guiana , and colombia .
northern populations are migratory , wintering on the caribbean coast of central america and northern south america .
several vagrant populations are known to exist in the american northeast .
this tyrant flycatcher is found in tall trees and shrubs , including the edges of savanna and marshes .
it makes a flimsy cup nest in a tree .
the female incubates the typical clutch of two cream eggs , which are marked with reddish-brown .
the adult gray kingbird is an average-sized kingbird .
it measures 23 cm (9.1 in) in length and weighs from 37 to 52 g (1.3 to 1.8 oz) .
the upperparts are gray , with brownish wings and tail , and the underparts are white with a gray tinge to the chest .
the head has a concealed yellow crown stripe , and a dusky mask through the eyes .
the dark bill is heavier than that of the related , slightly smaller , tropical kingbird .
the sexes are similar , but young birds have rufous edges on the wing coverts , rump and tail .
the call is a loud rolling trill , pipiri pipiri , which is the reason behind many of its local names , like pestigre or pitirre , in the spanish-speaking greater antilles , or petchary in some of the english-speaking zones .
gray kingbirds wait on an exposed perch high in a tree , occasionally sallying out to feed on insects , their staple diet .
like other kingbirds , these birds aggressively defend their territory against intruders , including mammals and much larger birds such as caracaras , red-tailed hawks and broad-winged hawks .
it is found in increasing numbers in the state of florida , and is more often found inland though it had been previously restricted to the coast .
the species was first described on the island of hispaniola , then called santo domingo , thus the dominicensis name .
