Say's phoebe
Say's phoebe | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Tyrannidae |
Genus: | Sayornis |
Species: | S. saya
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Binomial name | |
Sayornis saya (Bonaparte, 1825)
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Breeding
Migration
Year-round
Nonbreeding
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Say's phoebe (Sayornis saya) is a
Taxonomy
Say's phoebe was
Two subspecies are recognised:[5]
- S. s. saya (Bonaparte, 1825) – Alaska, west Canada, west USA and south Mexico
- S. s. quiescens Grinnell, 1926 – Baja California (northwest Mexico)
Description
Say's phoebe is a barrel-chested bird with a squared-off head. It is gray-brown above with a black tail and
Distribution and habitat
They are found year-round from western Colorado, southwest to southern California, east to the western panhandle of Texas and south through western Mexico. They breed from Alaska south through western and south central Canada, south through North Dakota, the midwest and to New Mexico and westward.[6] They winter in the desert southwest to southern Texas and south through Mexico to northern Central America. During migration these birds can be found thousands of miles out of range. There are regular fall reports in New England, U.S and Nova Scotia, Canada.
These birds prefer dry, desolate, arid landscapes. They can be found on farmland, savanna and open woodlands, usually near water. They tend to be early migrants to the western U.S.[7]
Behaviour and ecology
Say's phoebe is similar to the eastern phoebe. It sallies from a perch to catch insects in mid-air. It also hovers American kestrel-like and dips its tail while perched.[8] Say's phoebe also likes to feed just above the water's surface. They eat insects almost exclusively, but have been known to eat berries.
Say's phoebe nest in the typical phoebe fashion. They attach their nests under bridges,
Breeding
Say's phoebes have been found to breed anytime between late March and late August. They have a broad range of breeding elevation, including anywhere from 300 to 1800 meters. Their preferred breeding ground is open, arid country.[9] Their breeding grounds are very wide—spanning throughout the western continental North America as far north as arctic Alaska to as far south as central Mexico.[10]
Food and feeding
The diet is primarily insects.[8] These include grasshoppers, flies, crickets, beetles and bees.[11] However, it is disputed whether honey bees are actually suitable aspects of their diets. Their techniques for catching prey including taking it midair or pouncing on the insects while they are on the ground.[12] They have also been observed to have consumed small fish. The diets of adult Say's phoebes varies from that of nestlings, with the latter consuming a higher share of soft foods.[12]
Communication
Like other Sayornis species, Say's phoebe is known to use "song-like" displays as its main form of communication.[13] Their singing is characterized as having a very loud pitch to begin and then slowly leveling off into a more steady pitch.[13] This initial peak pitch is a distinctive trait to Say's phoebe compared to its other Sayornis counterparts. They generally use this form of communication to countersing other birds, make its presence known when patrolling its territory, and in during the early stages of mating season.[7] Almost all males do the singing; however, a select few females engage in singing as well.[7] Often times, Say's phoebe will sing while hovering over an open field.[7]
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Bonaparte, Charles Lucien (1825). American Ornithology; or, The Natural History of Birds Inhabiting the United States, Not Given By Wilson. Vol. 1. Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Carey. p. 20, Plate 2 fig. 3.
- ^ Traylor, Melvin A. Jr, ed. (1979). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 8. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 148.
- ^ Bonaparte, Charles Lucien (1854). "Notes sur les collections rapportées en 1853, par M. A. Delattre, de son voyage en Californie et dans le Nicaragua". Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences. 38: 1–11, 53–67, 258–266, 378–389, 533–541, 650–665 [657].
- ^ Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Tyrant flycatchers". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- JSTOR 1366189.
- ^ .
- ^ . Retrieved 2021-11-13.
- ^ "SAY'S PHOEBE | The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas". txtbba.tamu.edu. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- , retrieved 2021-11-13
- ^ "Say's Phoebe Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". www.allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ .
- ^ ISSN 0005-7959.
External links
Sayornis saya
(Say's phoebe).
- Say's phoebe species account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Say's phoebe - Sayornis saya - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- "Say's phoebe media". Internet Bird Collection.
- Say's phoebe photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
- Interactive range map of Sayornis saya at IUCN Red List maps