Say's Phoebe, Sayornia saya


Say's Phoebe
Say's Phoebes breed throughout much of the west, but are found on the coast of Central and Northern California only
in winter. On the wintering grounds they are usually found in open grassy fields, where they often flycatch from low
perches, as shown above and in the four next below.

Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe
Above and below, with wings raised, these birds show their whitish translucent
flight feathers.


Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe
A Say's Phoebe perched on a stalk in a brown grassy field in the California fall.

Say's Phoebe
Among my favorite pictures of this species, the one above and the two below were taken of Say's Phoebes acting like shorebirds, on a narrow rocky beach at Point Pinos, where the Pacific Ocean crashes into the westernmost tip of the Monterey Peninsula.


Say's Phoebe


Say's Phoebe


Say's Phoebe
Say's Phoebes in flight. Above, with the rufous belly and the black tail both just visible; below, with no rufous feathers visible, but the whitish translucent flight feathers conspicuous.

Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe
Say's Phoebes breed in Arizona as in much of the west; a pair established this nest in the Spring of 2009 right above the door to the outdoor restroom at Procter Road in lower Madera Canyon, a busy site that attracts many hikers, picnickers, and especially birders. Despite all the attention the nest attracted, the three nestlings all seemed to be flourishing at the time I took this picture; I hope they all made it safely to fledging.