Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Also called phoebe.
A flycatcher identified by what it lacks and what it does: no wing bars, no eye-ring, and a tail that dips downward constantly. Among the earliest migrants back in spring.
- Size
- Sparrow-sized — 14–17 cm
- Bill
- Thin and pointed
- Where
- yard, woodland, water
- Season
- summer, year round
What it looks like
Plain grey-brown above with a darker head, off-white below, and an all-black bill. No wing bars and no eye-ring.
The checks that confirm it
- Dips and wags its tail downward, constantly, from a perch.
- No wing bars and no eye-ring — unusual among small flycatchers.
- An all-black bill.
- Darker head contrasting with a paler back.
Voice
A rough, buzzy, two-note 'fee-bee' that says its own name — quite unlike the chickadee's clear whistled version.
Attracting it
A sheltered ledge under an eave or bridge. It reuses nest sites year after year.
Confused with
Has clear wing bars and a pale lower bill, and it does not wag its tail.
The songs are confused constantly. The chickadee's 'fee-bee' is clear and whistled; the phoebe's is buzzy and rough.
Questions about this bird
How do you identify a eastern phoebe?
Dips and wags its tail downward, constantly, from a perch. No wing bars and no eye-ring — unusual among small flycatchers.
What does a eastern phoebe sound like?
A rough, buzzy, two-note 'fee-bee' that says its own name — quite unlike the chickadee's clear whistled version.
How do you attract a eastern phoebe?
A sheltered ledge under an eave or bridge. It reuses nest sites year after year.