Eastern phoebes are generally solitary but during the breeding season, they can sometimes spend time in pairs. Take Kids Birding! Eastern Phoebe: Breeds in eastern North America, although its normal range does not include the southeastern coastal United States. Bird Friendly Chicago – add your support for birds in the world’s deadliest city for migrating birds. In 1804, the Eastern Phoebe became the first banded bird in North America. When I started my quest I admittedly had no interest in a small bird like the Eastern Phoebe, as I thought they would be uninteresting. eBird is the real-time online checklist operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon. All rights reserved. Growing page of information about the amazing expedition of Lewis and Clark. It has a big head, especially if it puffs up the small crest. The genus name 'Sayornis' is constructed from the specific part of Charles Lucien Bonaparte's name for Say's phoebe, Muscicapa saya, and Ancient Greek 'ornis' which means 'bird'. Eastern Phoebes are among the first migrants to return to their breeding grounds in spring—sometimes as early as March. Want to learn more about birds? A version of this article appeared in “Birding Briefs” in the July/August 2019 issue of BirdWatching. The Eastern Phoebe is a loner, rarely coming in contact with other phoebes. – Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Phoebe is an alternative name for the Roman moon-goddess Diana, but it may also have been chosen to imitate the bird's call. Eastern Phoebe is normally one of the earliest flycatchers to return to breeding areas throughout the Midwest and Northeast, and pairs will commonly initiate their first nest before many of the other flycatchers have returned. They must not mind being late due to all the snow we have been getting! In August, Eastern Phoebe occurs across southern Canada east of the Rockies and throughout all of the eastern U.S. By January, most phoebes have retreated to a range that primarily includes the Southeast United States. Eastern phoebes are monogamous and form pair bonds. During my observations, I witnessed some very interesting behaviors. Photograph by Michael O'Brien. The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. This helps pay for hosting the site and fund conservation projects. Eastern phoebes inhabit open woodland, farmland, and suburbs, often near water. John James Audubon attached silvered thread to an Eastern Phoebe’s leg to track its return in successive years. With Red-winged Blackbirds calling on nearly every country road fence post, Eastern Meadowlarks singing at Rock Cut State Park, it feels like Spring is finally here. Listen for the species’ stereotyped two-parted song, an alternating fee-bee, fee-b-be-bee. Required fields are marked *. Unlock thousands of full-length species accounts and hundreds of bird family … © 2020 Madavor Media, LLC. The Eastern phoebe is a small perching bird native to North America. Empidonax flycatchers have eye rings and wing bars, which are absent in the eastern phoebe. Migratory, winters from the Ohio River to the Gulf Coast. Migration Pattern . The lack of an eye ring and wingbars and the all dark bill distinguish the Eastern phoebe from other North American tyrant flycatchers. An empidonax flycatcher flicks its tail upward; only the gray flycatcher dips its tail downward. Bucking that trend is Eastern Phoebe, with peak migration mostly from mid-September through mid-October. Save over 25% and get all-access: print+iPad. They arrive for breeding in mid-late March, but they return to winter quarters around the same time when other migrant songbirds do, in September and early October. The female lays 2 to 6 eggs and incubates them for 15-17 days. All rights reserved. They may also pick insects or berries from the foliage. ... Their migration times have stayed the same in the last 100 years. Tyrant Flycatchers(Order: Passeriformes, Family:Tyrannidae). Eastern Phoebes are among the first migrants to return to their breeding grounds in spring—sometimes as early as March. Before these sites were common, phoebes nested on bare rock outcrops and still do occasionally. Its underparts are mostly white, with pale olive wash on sides and breast. Eastern Phoebe. Eastern phoebes can raise their head feathers which will look like a short crest at the rear of their head. They are considered the largest family of birds, with more than 400 species. They are diurnal being most active in the morning. The Eastern phoebe is a small perching bird native to North America. In 1804, the Eastern Phoebe became the first banded bird in North America. The eastern phoebe is a rather dull phoebe found in the east and across central Canada. They are migratory, wintering in the southernmost United States and Central America. Why we should think twice before offering birds food with corn. The nest is an open cup of mud and moss lined with fine grasses, stems, and hair cemented with mud to a wall near a cliff, ceiling or building eave. The eastern is brownish gray above; darkest on head, wings, and tail. The call of these birds is a sharp 'chip', and the song, from which they get their name, is 'fee-bee'. Song: distinctive, rough whistled song consists of 2 phrases: schree-dip followed by a falling schree-brrr; sometimes strung together one after the other. Monotypic. Your source for becoming a better birder. Look for The eastern phoebe, unlike most other flycatchers, is relatively easy to identify. Explore Birds of the World to learn more. Fink, D., T. Auer, A. Johnston, M. Strimas-Mackey, O. Robinson, S. Ligocki, B. Petersen, C. Wood, I. Davies, B. Sullivan, M. Iliff, S. Kelling. When the chicks hatch both parents feed them about 15-16 days. Preferred habitats include open … Your email address will not be published. Well-known for nesting on porches and other human structures, pairs are generally double-brooded, with the pair remaining together throughout the breeding season. Eastern Phoebe nests ledges, usually sheltered above by an overhang: under bridges, culverts, or eaves of buildings, on cliffs, rock bluffs or in ravines near water. Need help identifying a bird? These birds breed in eastern North America, although their normal range does not include the southeastern coastal United States. EAPH1. Three days ago the first Eastern Phoebe of the year was sighted in Winnebago County at Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, a wonderful yet often busy birdspot. Its plumage is gray-brown above. The eastern phoebe is a rather dull phoebe found in the east and across central Canada.