Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

Like other phoebes, the rusty-bellied Say's Phoebe is common around people, often nesting on buildings. A bird of open country, it is found from Alaska through Mexico.

Description

• Small songbird; medium-sized flycatcher.
• Upperparts pale brownish gray.
• Belly and undertail cinnamon.
• Wags tail.

• Size: 17 cm (7 in)
• Weight: 21-22 g (0.74-0.78 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike.

Sound

Song a low, whistled "pit-tsee-eur" alternated with a burry upslurred "churr-eep." Also a "phee-eur."

Conservation Status

Say's Phoebe has benefited from use of human-made structures for nest sites.

Other Names

Moucherolle à ventre roux (French)
Papamoscas ilanero (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Say's Phoebe breeds farther north than any other flycatcher, seemingly limited only by the lack of nest sites. It breeds north past tree line, and may be following the Alaska pipeline even farther north, nesting on the pipeline itself.

Sources used to construct this page:

Schukman, J. M., and B. O. Wolf. 1998. Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya). In The Birds of North America, No. 374 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.