• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Difference between revisions of "Black Phoebe" - BirdForum Opus

Page Discussion
View source History
(Picture of Juvenile added. Links. References)
(Clearer flight shot. Minor layout improvement)
(3 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
[[Image:Black_Phoebe.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo by {{user|Andy+Bright|Andy Bright}}<br />Los Angeles, [[California]], [[USA]], July 2005]]
+
[[Image:Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans angustirostris .jpg|thumb|500px|right|Subspecies ''angustrirostris''<br /> Photo by {{user|Stanley+Jones|Stanley Jones}} <br />Oxapampa, Peru, August 2017]]
 
;[[:category:Sayornis|Sayornis]] nigricans
 
;[[:category:Sayornis|Sayornis]] nigricans
 
==Identification==
 
==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.
+
15–18 cm (6-7 in)
 +
*Black head, breast, back, wings, and tail
 +
*White underbelly and wing-[[Topography#General Anatomy|covert]] edges (forming 2 faint wing bars)
 
==Distribution==
 
==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]]).
+
[[Image:Black_Phoebe_adult.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|mw_aurora|mw_aurora}} <br />Santee, [[California]], [[USA]], February 2007]]
 +
[[North America|North]], [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]:<br />
 +
South-western '''North America''': found in (south-western [[Oregon]] and [[California]] to west [[Texas]]).<br />
 +
'''Central America''': (from [[Panama]] to [[Mexico]])<br />
 +
Mountainous areas of '''South America''': (Andes of north-western [[Argentina]], western [[Bolivia]], [[Peru]], [[Ecuador]], [[Colombia]] and [[Venezuela]]; coastal mountains of Venezuela);
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
−
====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>====
+
====Subspecies====
 +
[[Image:Black_Phoebe.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Juvenile <br />Photo by {{user|Andy+Bright|Andy Bright}} <br />Los Angeles, [[California]], [[USA]], July 2005]]
 +
There are 6 subspecies<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>:
 
*''S. n. amnicola'' - Highlands of [[Costa Rica]] and western [[Panama]] (Chiriquí)
 
*''S. n. amnicola'' - Highlands of [[Costa Rica]] and western [[Panama]] (Chiriquí)
 
*''S. n. aquaticus'' - Southern [[Mexico|Mexican]] highlands (southern Chiapas) to [[Guatemala]] and [[Nicaragua]]
 
*''S. n. aquaticus'' - Southern [[Mexico|Mexican]] highlands (southern Chiapas) to [[Guatemala]] and [[Nicaragua]]
Line 13: Line 21:
 
*''S. n. nigricans'' - Highlands of north-eastern [[Mexico]] (Tamaulipas) to northern Chiapas
 
*''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)
 
*''S. n. semiater'' - Western [[US]] ([[Oregon]]) to [[Baja California]] and western [[Mexico]] (Nayarit)
−
[[Image:02062008 black phoebe post.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|digishooter|digishooter}}<br />[[El Dorado Nature Preserve]], Long Beach, [[California]], [[USA]], May 2008]]
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
−
Highlands near water.
+
Open woodlands near water, such as streams, rivers, lakes and coastal cliffs.
−
==Behaviour==  
+
==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.
+
====Action====
 +
Like other phoebes, they continually wag their tails when perched.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
−
The diet includes insects but occasionally fish. It dives into ponds to catch small minnows or other tiny fish.
+
They sally from open perches for flying insects. The diet consists insects such as bees, wasps, grasshoppers, moths, caterpillars and beetles. They also reportedly take small fish.
 
====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
 +
[[Image:Black Phoebe11.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''semiater''<br />Photo by {{user|Stanley Jones|Stanley Jones}}<br />Floresville River Park, Floresville, Wilson County, [[Texas]], [[USA]]]]
 
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.
 
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.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
−
Song is a series of phrases, rendered ''sisee'' and ''sitsew'', and its call is similar to that of the [[Eastern Phoebe]].
+
'''Song''': a series of phrases, rendered ''sisee'' and ''sitsew''<br />
 +
'''Call''': similar to that of the [[Eastern Phoebe]].
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#Allaboutbirds
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#Allaboutbirds
 +
#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Oct 2017)
 +
#Audobon Field Guide
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==

Revision as of 00:40, 23 May 2018

Subspecies angustrirostris
Photo by Stanley Jones
Oxapampa, Peru, August 2017
Sayornis nigricans

Identification

15–18 cm (6-7 in)

  • Black head, breast, back, wings, and tail
  • White underbelly and wing-covert edges (forming 2 faint wing bars)

Distribution

Photo by mw_aurora
Santee, California, USA, February 2007

North, Central and South America:
South-western North America: found in (south-western Oregon and California to west Texas).
Central America: (from Panama to Mexico)
Mountainous areas of South America: (Andes of north-western Argentina, western Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela; coastal mountains of Venezuela);

Taxonomy

Subspecies

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

There are 6 subspecies1:

Habitat

Open woodlands near water, such as streams, rivers, lakes and coastal cliffs.

Behaviour

Action

Like other phoebes, they continually wag their tails when perched.

Diet

They sally from open perches for flying insects. The diet consists insects such as bees, wasps, grasshoppers, moths, caterpillars and beetles. They also reportedly take small fish.

Breeding

Subspecies semiater
Photo by Jones Stanley Jones
Floresville River Park, Floresville, Wilson County, Texas, USA

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.

Vocalisation

Song: a series of phrases, rendered sisee and sitsew
Call: similar to that of the Eastern Phoebe.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Allaboutbirds
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Oct 2017)
  4. Audobon Field Guide

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Black_Phoebe&oldid=231192’
Back
Top