Black Phoebe

About the Black Phoebe

The black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is a passerine bird in the tyrant-flycatcher family. It breeds from southwest Oregon and California south through Central and South America. It occurs year-round throughout most of its range and migrates less than the other birds in its genus though its northern populations are partially migratory. Six subspecies are commonly recognized although two are occasionally combined as a separate species, the white-winged phoebe. The black phoebe has predominantly black plumage, with a white belly and undertail coverts. The sexes are identical in color, and juveniles have brown feather tips and brown wing-bars. Its song is a repeated tee-hee, tee ho. It lives in a variety of habitats but is always near water.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name

Sayornis nigricans

Family

Tyrant Flycatchers

Order

Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the tyrant flycatchers family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

• Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
• Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
• Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
• Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus callizonus
• Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua
• Bright-rumped Attila Attila spadiceus
• Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus
• Buff-breasted Flycatcher Empidonax fulvifrons
• Caribbean Elaenia Elaenia martinica
• Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
• Cattle Tyrant Machetornis rixosa
• Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum