Which specific foraging technique defines the Western Kingbird's aerial hunting?
Answer
Sallying
The characteristic feeding style employed by the Western Kingbird, typical of tyrant flycatchers, is known as sallying. This maneuver involves launching quickly from a favored, conspicuous perch—such as a utility pole or isolated tree branch—to intercept flying prey in mid-air before immediately returning to the perch. This technique maximizes efficiency for catching swift, agile aerial invertebrates like flies and wasps. Although they also engage in ground capture and gleaning from vegetation, sallying is the defining method for securing the bulk of their high-energy, airborne food sources.
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