From Opus

Photo by mw_aurora
Santee, California, USA, February 2007

Sayornis nigricans

[edit] Identification

The Black Phoebe reaches a length of 14cm, and unlike other phoebes, has very contrasting plumage, black on the head, breast, back, wings, and tail, and white on the underbelly and under the wings.

[edit] Distribution

Mountainous areas of South America (Andes of northwestern Argentina, western Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela; coastal mountains of Venezuela); Central America (from Panama to Mexico); southwestern North America (southwestern Oregon and California to west Texas).

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• S. n. amnicola - Highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama (Chiriquí)
• S. n. aquaticus - Southern Mexican highlands (southern Chiapas) to Guatemala and Nicaragua
• S. n. angustirostris - Eastern Panama to Colombia, Ecuador, central Bolivia and northern Venezuela
• S. n. latirostris - Andes of southern Bolivia and north-western Argentina
• S. n. nigricans - Highlands of north-eastern Mexico (Tamaulipas) to northern Chiapas
• S. n. semiater - Western US (Oregon) to Baja California and western Mexico (Nayarit)

Juvenile
Photo by Andy Bright
Los Angeles, California, USA, July 2005

[edit] Habitat

Highlands near water.

[edit] Behaviour

This species spends more time along streams and ponds than the other phoebe species, and is not migratory but stays in its range year-round. Like other phoebes, it continually wags its tail when perched, and waits on open perches before flying out to catch insects.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes insects but occasionally fish. It dives into ponds to catch small minnows or other tiny fish.

[edit] Breeding

The female builds the nest from grass and mud under a wall, bridge or cliff. The 3-6 white eggs are incubated for about 14 days; the young fledge in about another 14 days. Often two broods are raised in a season.

[edit] Vocalisation

Song is a series of phrases, rendered sisee and sitsew, and its call is similar to that of the Eastern Phoebe.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Allaboutbirds

• List of references

[edit] External Links