Species › Birds › Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe

Sayornis saya

CommonBird
Illustration of Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)

Say's Phoebe is a pale, rusty-bellied phoebe of dry western open country. It nests on ledges, in outbuildings, and under bridges in arid environments far from water — unlike the Black Phoebe. It has the northernmost breeding range of any flycatcher, reaching central Alaska. Named for naturalist Thomas Say.

Habitat
Arid open country, desert, and scrublands throughout western North America
Diet
Insects and small invertebrates caught in aerial sallies
How common
Common

Best time to see a Say's Phoebe

The best time to see a Say's Phoebe is October–March, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 39,706 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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