Eastern Phoebe
The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is approximately 6 to 7 inches in length. It has olive brown upperparts, a blackish crown, a black bill, and a white throat and underparts. This Phoebe has a habit of bobbing its tail when perched, and this is a good field mark for identifying this bird from a distance.
Eastern Phoebes eat beetles, wasps, ants, flies, grasshoppers, spiders, caterpillars, moths, ticks, dragonflies, etc. which it catches on the wing. During the winter, they switch to eating berries. They can be found in open woodlands near streams as well as near cliffs, bridges, and buildings with ledges.
The females build their nests out of mud and line them with grasses, hair, moss, or other soft objects. They tend to build on rock ledges or on the steep walls of ravines, in caves, and their nests are typically situated around water. They also frequently build on man-made structures such as the rafters of buildings, on ledges on the eve of a house, on windowsills, and the girders under bridges.
This bird is considered to be one of the "name-sayers" which means that its song sounds like it is saying its name. The song sounds like a clear, phee-bee, phee-bee or sometimes phee-bee, phee-bee, phee-be-bit.
Click here for a range map and additional information.
Click on the player below to hear the Eastern Phoebe.
Eastern Phoebes eat beetles, wasps, ants, flies, grasshoppers, spiders, caterpillars, moths, ticks, dragonflies, etc. which it catches on the wing. During the winter, they switch to eating berries. They can be found in open woodlands near streams as well as near cliffs, bridges, and buildings with ledges.
The females build their nests out of mud and line them with grasses, hair, moss, or other soft objects. They tend to build on rock ledges or on the steep walls of ravines, in caves, and their nests are typically situated around water. They also frequently build on man-made structures such as the rafters of buildings, on ledges on the eve of a house, on windowsills, and the girders under bridges.
This bird is considered to be one of the "name-sayers" which means that its song sounds like it is saying its name. The song sounds like a clear, phee-bee, phee-bee or sometimes phee-bee, phee-bee, phee-be-bit.
Click here for a range map and additional information.
Click on the player below to hear the Eastern Phoebe.