Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Photo Credit: Bryan Calk-Macaulay Library.
Like a number of other birds, the Eastern Phoebe’s name is onomatopoeic, meaning the name is based on the bird’s song. Their song is an emphatic “FEE-be.” A smallish bird, slightly larger than a titmouse, the Eastern Phoebe is plump with a large head and often peaked feathers.
Although range maps show the Eastern Phoebe lives in parts of Central Texas year-round, I only see them in my yard during the winter months. They are relatively easy to identify given their short, thin bill, faint yellow belly, and brownish-gray top. Their heads are typically darker than the rest of their body, and they are very active – flying back and forth to the same spot while capturing insects and wagging their tails up and down while perched.
A member of the Tyrant Flycatcher family, the Eastern Phoebe likes open woods – yards, woodland edges, and parks. These spaces allow them to find their favorite foods, flying insects. They eat flies, dragonflies, butterflies, moths, spiders, ticks, and cicadas. Occasionally they will also eat small fruit or seeds. The ones I see by my feeder will sometimes dine on live mealworms.
Eastern Phoebes nest mostly under human-made structures: overhanging decks, eaves, and bridges where nests and young are protected from both predators and inclement weather. They build their nests lower to the ground, generally not above 15 feet. The female builds the nest while the male watches close by. Nests are made from leaves, mud, and moss mixed with animal hair and grass stems. They usually take two weeks to build, with a diameter of 5 inches and a nest cup for the eggs about 2.5 inches across and 2 inches deep; they often reuse the same nest multiple years in a row. In the interim, Barn Swallows may also use the nest.
The female will lay 2 to 6 eggs and incubate them for 15 to 16 days until they hatch. Young remain in the nest for 16 to 20 days. The female is especially aggressive about defending both the nest and young, although the male will defend them as well.
Eastern Phoebes tend to be solitary birds; even mated pairs don’t spent much time together. During egg laying, the female will frequently chase the male away. However, they are often friendly to humans and not easily disturbed by our comings and goings, as this article indicates.
If you live in the right sort of environment, a mix of wooded and open areas, you may see this bird in your yard. There’s a chance they’ll come around for mealworms and fresh water, especially if they have a good place to perch and watch out for flying insects.
Compiled by Lisa S. Graham.
Sources include All About Birds (Cornell), Audubon Field Guide, and “National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America”.