How to Identify an Eastern Phoebe
Updated: Dec. 13, 2021Learn what an Eastern phoebe looks like, and what their song sounds like. Find out what these birds eat and where to find them.
What Does an Eastern Phoebe Look Like?
Scientific Name: Sayornis phoebe
Family: Flycatcher
Length: 7 inches
Wingspan: 10-1/2 inches
Distinctive Markings: White throat, long dark tail and a dark head
Nest and Eggs
Nest: Mud and moss, lined with grasses, hair and feathers, under a bridge, deck or in a cave entrance; holds two to six white eggs.
Eastern phoebes made history in 1804 when Audubon tied silver thread on the legs of nestlings – the first North American experiment in bird banding. The next year he found two of his marked birds nesting nearby.
What Does an Eastern Phoebe Eat?
Diet: Insects. To attract them, grow native plants to attract bugs.
Plant native trees that attract birds.
Bird Song
Listen to the Eastern phoebe’s song. It calls its name in rapid successions, “phoebe, phoebe, phoebe.” Also, clear, whistled “weew” or “tiboo.”
Bird songs provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Range Map and Habitat
Look for these birds near water, woods with streams, farmyards and along wooded country roads with bridges crossing streams.
Range maps provided by Kaufman Field Guides, the official field guide of Birds & Blooms.
