Black Phoebe

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These voracious insectivorous birds are great neighbors. They catch insects on the fly and skim floating insects on water like the cliff swallow does. They’re a stunning regular sight.

Black phoebes are year around residents in southern Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, Mexico and Central and South America as far south as northern Argentina. Northern most populations may migrate some.

They can be seen usually near streams, ponds, in river valleys, coastal cliffs, small town and city gardens and city parks always near water. From low perches usually near or over water they watch for flying or crawling insects. 

Black phoebes build cup shaped nests of mud mixed with grass or fibrous bark lined with fine grass, shredded bark and animal hair cemented to vertical surfaces often directly over or near water on old shed walls, bridges, even abandoned wells on farms, in towns and cities and in the wild among natural formations in canyons and river valleys, their original habitats. They commonly reuse nests in subsequent seasons.

Although black phoebes need no assistance nesting, they have been attracted to overhanging structures made especially for them.

Even if there is a slim chance of attracting a phoebe family, it’s very little effort and the shelters are nice looking ornaments. You might even attract cliff or barn swallows.

Black Phoebe

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White underside. White wing linings and outer tail feathers. They exhibit the typical phoebe up and down tail motion.

These voracious insectivorous birds are great neighbors. They catch insects on the fly and skim floating insects on water like the cliff swallow does. They’re a stunning regular sight.

Black phoebes are year around residents in southern Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, Mexico and Central and South America as far south as northern Argentina. Northern most populations may migrate some.

They also consume lady bugs, various other ground beetles, grasshoppers, crickets and occasionally small minnows swimming near the water surface.

You may see their fat and fast growing fledglings perched in low vegetation near and over ponds and streams waiting and calling their parents to bring more and more freshly caught flies and bees. 

Black phoebes build cup shaped nests of mud mixed with grass or fibrous bark lined with fine grass, shredded bark and animal hair cemented to vertical surfaces often directly over or near water on old shed walls, bridges, even abandoned wells on farms, in towns and cities and in the wild among natural formations in canyons and river valleys, their original habitats. They commonly reuse nests in subsequent seasons.

Females lay 3-6 white eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation more or less. Fledglings leave the nest in about another two weeks and are fed usually at waters edge where they learn to forage for themselves. They often raise two broods in a season.

Although black phoebes need no assistance nesting, they have been attracted to overhanging structures made especially for them. Even if there is a slim chance of attracting a phoebe family, it’s very little effort and the shelters are nice looking ornaments. You might attract cliff or barn swallow families.

Do not mount in a tree. Select a wall that resembles natural cliff faces in that climbing predators do not have access.

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