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07 February 2011
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
ORDER: PASSERIFORMES | FAMILY: TYRANNIDAE
The Black Phoebe is part of the family of birds known as tyrant-flycatchers. It is a small perching bird, approximately 7” tall with an 11” wingspan. Like most flycatchers, they have a bit of a crest at the back of the head.
Patterns in Nature: Urban Tracking & Nature Awareness - Monday mornings at 10:30am.
- Identifying features: Mostly black plumage including the head, neck, back, and tail. White plumage on the undertail and belly that extends in a point up the chest. Small thin black bill, and black eyes and legs. Males and females look the same; juveniles are a little more brown/gray.
- Behavior: Typically forage fairly near to the ground, often finding a conspicuous perch from which they fly out and return. This behavior is called “flycatching” and it can make them relatively easy to observe, since they return to the same perch over and over. They characteristically “bop” their tails when perched.
- Food: Mainly eat insects, which they catch midair.
- Habitat: Phoebe’s have a variety of habitats. They are often found near water.
- Range and time of year in Bay Area: Range extends from Oregon down the west coast to Central and South America. They can be found year round in the Bay Area.
- Similar birds that are also commonly seen at Hayes Valley Farm: The Black Phoebe would probably most likely be mistaken with the Brewer’s Blackbird. That bird has no white on the belly and males have a yellow eye.
It’s interesting that we are seeing Black Phoebes at Hayes Valley Farm because the farm has no constant water feature and this bird is usually found near water – often at coastal cliffs, river and lake banks, wetlands, and even park fountains. However, we have a good variety of insects at the farm as well as moist soil (which they use to build their nests) so perhaps that’s why they are coming by.
Find out more information about the Black Phoebe including a recording of its call (chirp!).
Photo by Emily Hoyer, January 25, 2007
These species studies are a project of the Patterns in Nature: Urban Tracking & Nature Awareness workshops at Hayes Valley Farm, every Monday at 10:30am.
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