While photographing at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, I caught an interesting behavior: an Eastern Kingbird regurgitating a pellet. It was perched on a slender branch, and I managed to capture the moment in two clear, well-timed shots.
In the first photo, the Kingbird is looking down as it starts to bring up the pellet. This is something many insect-eating birds do. They swallow insects whole, then later cough up the indigestible parts like exoskeletons. Those come out as a pellet.
Rare Eye Contact During Regurgitation
What stood out in the second shot was the bird’s eye contact. Its beak was wide open, and I could see the pellet right in its throat.
Usually, birds keep their heads down during this process. But this one looked straight at the camera. That made the image feel more personal.
I’ve photographed several birds regurgitating pellets before. But I’ve never had one lock eyes with me while doing it. That small shift in angle turned a typical behavior into a striking image.
Pellet regurgitation is part of a healthy digestion process. Birds like the Eastern Kingbird eat flying insects. Their bodies digest the soft parts and compress the rest into a pellet. Then they get rid of it.
It takes patience to capture a moment like this. It all happens fast, and the birds pick quiet spots to do it. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
For another example of this behavior, take a look at my post on a Green Heron regurgitating a pellet.