Black Phoebe
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Sayornis
Species: nigricans
**Audio Below**
Description
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Length: 7"
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Wing span: 11"
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Weight: 0.67oz (19 grams)
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Small black songbird with a white belly
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Constantly wags tail when perched
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Males and females look alike
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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.
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