Black Phoebe

Black Phoebe

Sayornis nigricans

A small black-and-white flycatcher of the Southwest, the Black Phoebe is often found around people, but nearly always near water.

Cool Facts		Photo taken from: The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley
Although primarily insectivorous, the Black Phoebe occasionally catches fish. It dives into ponds to catch small minnows or other tiny fish, and may even feed fish to nestlings. The male Black Phoebe shows the female potential nest sites, hovering in front of a likely spot for 5 to 10 seconds. The female makes the final decision about where to place the nest and does all the construction.
Description
Weight: 15-22 g (0.53-0.78 ounces) Small songbird; medium-sized flycatcher. Black above and below. White belly and under tail. Wags tail. White belly extends onto chest in an inverted V. Outer edge of outer tail feather white. Small bill black. Feet black. Flycatches from exposed perch. Sex Differences Sexes alike. Immature Immature like adult, but with cinnamon edging to wing and back feathers.

Range Map

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Tyrannidae
Genus:	Sayornis
Species:	Sayornis nigricans
Subspecies:	Sayornis nigricans amnicola Sayornis nigricans angustirostris Sayornis nigricans aquaticus Sayornis nigricans latirostris Sayornis nigricans nigricans Sayornis nigricans semiater

Sound

Song a broken series of whistled phrases. Each phrase made of two notes, the second downslurred. "Tee-hee, Tee-hoo."

Identification and Information

See Anatomy of a Bird

Body

Length Range: 15-18 cm (6-7 in)
Weight: 20 g (0.7 oz)
Size: 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
Color Primary: White, Black
Underparts: White
Upperparts: Black
Back Pattern: Solid
Belly Pattern: Solid
Breast Pattern: Solid

Head

Bill Shape: All-purpose
Eye Color: Brown.
Head Pattern: Plain
Crown Color: Black
Forehead Color: Black
Nape Color: Black
Throat Color: Black
Cere color: No Data

Flight

Flight Pattern: Weak fluttering flight with shallow wing beats.
Wingspan Range: 27-28 cm (10.5-11 in)
Wing Shape: Rounded-Wings
Tail Shape: Squared Tail
Tail Pattern: Solid
Upper Tail: Black
Under Tail: Black
Leg Color: Black

Breeding

Breeding Location: Grassland with scattered trees, Rocky places
Breeding Type: Monogamous, Solitary nester
Breeding Population: Common near water
Egg Color: White, sometimes with red brown spots
Number of Eggs: 3 - 6
Incubation Days: 15 - 17
Egg Incubator: Female
Nest Material: Made of mud pellets and moss and lined with vegetation.
Migration: Some migrate
Condition at Hatching: Helpless with sparse down.

Other Names

Similar Species

Moucherolle noir (French)
Mosquero negro (Spanish)

All phoebes wag their tails.
Say's Phoebe is gray with a reddish belly.
Eastern Phoebe can appear dark, but the top of head usually contrasts with a lighter back, and the throat is not black.

Conservation Status

Populations in United States increasing. Benefits from many human activities, but destruction of riparian habitats and diversion of water is a concern.

Habitat

Sources used to Construct this Page:

Found in open areas near water, along cliffs, streams, lakes, agricultural areas, and parks. Often found around buildings.

Wolf, B. O. 1997. Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans). In The Birds of North America, No. 268 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.