The Black Phoebe is a small songbird that is a member of the tyrant flycatcher family. It is native to western North America and is known for habituating around buildings and bridges where it can find the insects it prefers to eat. Black Phoebes are attractive birds that can be enticed to visit backyard bird feeders or nest boxes with a little effort.
What is the Black Phoebe?
The Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is a small bird that is about 6 inches in length and weighs around 0.5 ounces. They have dark gray-brown plumage on their head, wings, back and tail. Their underparts are pale gray or whitish in color. The males and females look alike.
Some key identification features of the Black Phoebe include:
– Dark bill with a pale base
– White outer tail feathers that are visible when the bird is perched
– Constant tail wagging and wing flicking motions
Black Phoebes have musical calls described as a crisp “phe-bee” or “fee-bee-o”. They can be found alone or in pairs year-round across much of western North America. Their range stretches from British Columbia to Central America.
These birds thrive in open habitats and are often found around man-made structures like bridges, barns, and culverts. They nest on cliff ledges or build nests under overhangs out of mud, moss, grass, and other materials.
Black Phoebe Behavior and Diet
Black Phoebes primarily eat insects and other small invertebrates like beetles, moths, flies, ants, bees, and spiders. They capture insects while flying out from a perch. They also sometimes pick insects right off surfaces like the ground or plants.
These birds are constantly bobbing their tails and flicking their wings, even while perched. They can often be spotted darting out, grabbing an insect, and returning to their perch.
Black Phoebes are territorial and will defend their preferred feeding sites. They are often seen alone or in breeding pairs. During migration or in winter, small flocks may congregate where food is abundant.
Attracting Black Phoebes to Your Yard
Here are some tips to create good habitat and attract Black Phoebes to your backyard:
Provide Open Perches
Black Phoebes like to flycatch from open, elevated perches that provide views of large open areas. Place perches like fence posts, trellis structures, or dead trees spaced widely around your yard. You can also add specific bird perches made from natural branches or metal poles.
Include Overhangs or Ledges
Black Phoebes often nest under overhangs on buildings, bridges or cliffs. You may be able to mimic this by adding wooden overhangs, awnings, or ledges to buildings or other structures on your property. This can provide potential nesting spots.
Offer Mud or Moss
Since Black Phoebes build nests out of mud and moss, providing access to wet mud areas or collecting moss into small piles can supply nest-building materials. Just make sure the mud is kept moist.
Have Shallow Dishes of Water
Black Phoebes need to drink and bathe daily. Setting up a water feature like a birdbath, fountain, or shallow dishes filled with water will help attract these birds. Be sure to refresh water regularly.
Let Dead Trees Stand
If you have dead trees or snags on your property, leave them up! Black Phoebes and other birds utilize these for perching, feeding and sometimes nesting.
Avoid Pesticides
Since Black Phoebes feed on insects, eliminate use of pesticides whenever possible. Pesticides reduce food sources available for the birds.
Provide Nesting Boxes
You can provide appropriate nesting boxes made of untreated wood with very rough interior surfaces. Place boxes 8-30 feet above ground on buildings, poles, or trees. Make sure boxes are protected from predators and weather.
What to Feed Black Phoebes
While they mainly eat insects, you can also offer supplemental foods to encourage Black Phoebes to feed and drink in your yard. Here are some good options:
Mealworms
One of the best foods to offer Black Phoebes is live or dried mealworms. You can buy these at many bird and pet supply stores. Serve them in open dishes, tray feeders or screened suet feeders to prevent access from larger birds.
Chopped Raw Fruits
Chopped raw fruits like apples, bananas, berries, and melons without sugars or other additives can be offered. Chop the fruits into smaller pieces and spread across a platform feeder.
Seedless Grape Halves
For a sweet treat, Black Phoebes often enjoy seedless grape halves. Skewer the grape halves on sturdy twigs or small stakes and place out in the yard.
Suet and Seed Cakes
While suet primarily attracts woodpeckers and chickadees, Black Phoebes may also eat from suet feeders stocked with insect suet. Offer nut and fruit suet mixes.
Nectar
Though not common, Black Phoebes will occasionally feed on flower nectar. Try offering small amounts of diluted nectar (1 part sugar 4 parts water) in hummingbird feeders to see if phoebes in your area are interested.
Crickets
You can purchase live crickets at pet stores and release them into your yard. The crickets provide a tasty, moving insect meal that will appeal to phoebes.
Nest Box and Feeder Placement
Here are some key tips on where to place nesting boxes and feeders to attract Black Phoebes:
– Mount boxes and feeders on fence posts, trees, or sides of buildings and sheds. Make sure they are in somewhat open areas.
– Position nest boxes 8-30 feet above ground, protected from weather and predators. Face the entrance away from prevailing winds and rains.
– Situate feeders 3-10 feet off the ground on poles or fence posts. Keep them far from bushes and dense shrubs.
– Space multiple feeders 10-15 feet apart to reduce competition between individual Black Phoebes in your yard.
– Place a water source like a fountain or birdbath on the ground or on a raised platform to give phoebes easy access.
– Move feeders and rotate food offerings to hold the phoebes’ interest across your yard over time.
When to Expect Black Phoebes
Season | Black Phoebe Activity |
---|---|
Spring | Migration back to breeding grounds from March-May |
Summer | Nesting and raising young from May-August |
Fall | Migration south September-November |
Winter | Some remain in breeding range year-round, while others head south |
The season will influence when you are most likely to see Black Phoebes come to your feeders or nest boxes:
– In spring, food and nest sites may attract northward migrating individuals.
– Nest boxes will be most utilized in summer during the breeding season.
– Feeders with insect food sources appeal more to phoebes during fall migration.
– Areas further north see fewer Black Phoebes in winter as some migrate south.
Challenges of Attracting Black Phoebes
It can take time and effort to successfully attract Black Phoebes to your yard. Here are some potential challenges to be aware of:
Competition from Other Birds
Black Phoebes may be intimidated by larger, more aggressive birds like jays, crows, grackles, and swallows that also utilize perches and nest spots. Making sure feeders and boxes are specifically designed for Black Phoebes can help.
Access for Larger Birds
It’s important to use feeders with openings and perches only suited to smaller birds. Make sure nest box entrances are sized for Black Phoebes. Larger birds can hog food resources and take over next boxes.
Nest Site Predators
Black Phoebe nests and young are vulnerable to snakes, domestic cats, raccoons, and opossums. Proper placement and predator guards on nest boxes are a must. Monitoring boxes during nesting season helps too.
Insufficient Food Resources
If your yard lacks adequate flying insect populations or supplemental feeders with insect food sources, it will be harder to get Black Phoebes to visit and stay. Make sure you provide insect foods regularly.
Overuse of Pesticides
Phoebes rely on consuming insects for food. If the insect population in your area is depleted due to liberal use of pesticides, the birds will go elsewhere to find adequate food supplies.
Exposure to Weather Elements
Black Phoebes prefer sheltered areas so feeders and nest boxes placed in very exposed locations may get little use. Provide some protection from excessive sun, wind and rain.
Being Persistent
It often requires persistence and continuously tweaking your habitat to successfully bring Black Phoebes into your yard:
– It may take days or weeks before phoebes find and start using your nest boxes and feeders. Don’t give up too quickly!
– Monitor nest boxes weekly during spring and summer for signs of use or interest.
– Keep feeders freshly stocked with a variety of insect-based foods to hold the birds’ interest.
– Adjust placement of offerings if needed until you find the spots the phoebes prefer.
– Vary and rotate feeders, perches and water sources around your yard to incite curiosity.
– Avoid overuse of pesticides so insects remain plentiful in your yard for the phoebes to eat.
– Consider leaving some dead trees or snags standing, which they use for feeding and nesting.
With the proper habitat and food sources, plus persistence in finesseing your setup, you stand a good chance of turning your yard into a haven for Black Phoebes over time.
Conclusion
The Black Phoebe is an appealing and energetic bird that can bring joy to your backyard birding. By offering suitable perches, nest spots, insect foods and a safe water source, you can convert your yard into an attractive oasis for Black Phoebes. With persistence through the seasons, you will have a good chance of enticing these sociable birds to take up residence. Enjoy observing their constant motion and singing as Black Phoebes become regular visitors throughout the year!