Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
- GenusSayornis (Phoebes)
- SpeciesSayornis phoebe (Eastern Phoebe)
About the Eastern Phoebe
The eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is a small passerine bird. 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, "bird". Phoebe is an alternative name for the Roman moon goddess Diana, but it may also have been chosen to imitate the bird's call.
Measurements: Length: 5.5–6.7 in (14–17 cm) Weight: 0.6–0.7 oz (16–21 g) Wingspan: 10.2–11.0 in (26–28 cm) This species appears remarkably big-headed, especially if it puffs up the small crest. Its plumage is gray-brown above. It has a white throat, dirty gray breast, and buffish underparts which become whiter during the breeding season. Two indistinct buff bars are present on each wing. Its all-dark bill and lack of an eye ring and wingbars distinguish it from other North American tyrant flycatchers, and it pumps its tail up and down like other phoebes when perching on a branch. The eastern phoebe's call is a sharp chip, and the song, from which it may get its name, is fee-bee.
The eastern wood pewee (Contopus virens) is extremely similar in appearance. It lacks the buff hue usually present on the lighter parts of the... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya
Vermilion Flycatcher
Pyrocephalus rubinus
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus tyrannulus
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
Cassin's Kingbird
Tyrannus vociferans
Western Kingbird
Tyrannus verticalis
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Western Wood-Pewee
Contopus sordidulus
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Empidonax difficilis
Gray Flycatcher
Empidonax wrightii
Greater Pewee
Contopus pertinax
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Eastern Phoebe in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Phoebe sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 154 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Eastern Phoebe in Saguaro National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Eastern Phoebe in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.