Date: 4/29/25 4:33 pm From: Antonio, Robert J. <anto...> Subject: East Kingbir Attack
I just heard a what I thought was water dripping in my 7th floor office in Fraser Hall at the University of Kansas. I discovered the origin of the sound was my FOS Eastern Kingbird attacking its image repeatedly & hard in my office window.
I got right up to the glass, but it continued its assault- it was hammering the image so hard I worried it would damage his beak. I waved and the bird flew off but returned for a brief 2nd round attack. What a beautiful creature up close - what better art than that composed by mother nature?
Yearly, I have one of the resident American Kestrels, who nest nearby, sit on the same windowsill. Occasionally, I have had a Red-tailed Hawk visit as well, but these species did not attack their images (perhaps because it was after breeding season). They too look incredibly beautiful up-close - better than fine photos or plates in bird books.
In an adjacent office, about 5 or 6 years ago with a window left open, a White-throated Swift, in fall migration, bedded down in a wastepaper basket overnight. The human occupant, on opening her office door, discovered it and called me over. The bird saw us but did not flutter, I covered the basket & released it outside Fraser - it flew off immediately when I put the basket on its side. A bad dream for it I'm guessing....
The WTS species was reported once years before nearby by two birder Psychology grad students observing several of them through their 4th floor Fraser windows, but this visitor in the wastepaper basket is the only time I have seen this species in KS
