Black Phoebe

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Tyrannidae

Genus: Sayornis

Species: nigricans

**Audio Below**

Description

  • Length: 7"
  • Wing span: 11"
  • Weight: 0.67oz (19 grams)
  • Small black songbird with a white belly
  • Constantly wags tail when perched
  • Males and females look alike
  • Juveniles look like adult with the exception of cinnamon edging to wings and back feathers

Factoids:

  • Black Phoebe is most often found around people and nearly always near water
  • 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

 

All photographs and audio clips are ©Jamie Mullin 2006

Sources: Cornell Lab of Ornithology & The Sibley Guide to Birds.

May 20th, 2006 #20