Common breeding species in all regions. Confirmed breeding records exist only for Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties. Inferred nesting exists for the remaining counties. Characteristics of typical eastern kingbird breeding habitat include woodlots, scattered clumps of tall shrubs, fencelines, open fields, and edges of sedge meadows. Fences and transmission lines are apparently important components of breeding habitat and are used extensively as hunting perches.
Records are too few to determine average dates of arrival or departure.
However, most observations occur 15 May to 1 September. Migrants have been recorded from Burnett, St. Croix, and Washington counties. Rare nesting species in St. Croix County. Nesting was first reported in 1961 when a pair was successful at Hudson. A pair returned to the same site each year until 1971 when small boys shot the pair from the nest.