A practical guide to bird watching in Sonoma County, California
(Unless otherwise indicated, all phone numbers are in the 707 area code)
Black Phoebe is by far our most common flycatcher. Present all year and throughout Sonoma County, except in the most densely wooded areas. Breeds throughout the county, often using manmade structures for nesting. Usually found near water--and water of just about any kind--including swimming pools, small ponds, vernal pools, flooded fields, lakes, and streams. Seems happy in urban parks and the suburbs (a Black Phoebe sits atop my neighbor's roof singing most mornings). Likes to flycatch over water, usually returning to a low, open perch between flights, often returning repeatedly to the same spot. Often bobs its tail.
Our only black and white flycatcher. Black head, neck, breast, wings, and tail contrast with a white belly. The head is often somewhat darker than the rest of the dark areas. Young birds briefly have a little brown at the rump and on the wings and may be browner overall. Often heard at a distance repeatedly saying sitTEE-siCHEW, sitTEE-siCHEW, at a steady pace with the TEE rising, the CHEW falling.
Further reading:
Bolander and Parmeter, Birds of Sonoma County California, rev. ed., 2000, p. 82
Brinkley, National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2007, p. 314
Burridge, ed., Sonoma County Breeding Bird Atlas, 1995, p. 29
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 5th ed., 2006, p. 302
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 6th ed., 2011, p. 336
Ehrlich, Dobkin, and Wheye, The Birder's Handbook, paperback edition, 1988, p. 380
Dunne, Pete Dunne’s Essential Field Guide Companion, 2006, pp. 405
Fix and Bezener, Birds of Northern California, 2000, p. 248
Floyd, Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2008, p. 291
Kaufman, Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2000, p. 240
Lukas, Bay Area Birds: From Sonoma County to Monterey Bay, 2012, pp. 179-180
Parmeter and Wight, Birds of Sonoma County California, Update (2000-2010), 2012, p. 49
Peterson, Birds of Eastern and Central North America, 5th ed., 2002, p. 50
Peterson, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, 4th ed., 2010, p. 258
Peterson, Western Birds, 3rd ed., 1990, p. 236
Sibley, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America,1st ed., 2003, p. 286
Stokes, Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 1st ed., 2010, p. 468
Vuilleumier, American Museum of Natural History, Birds of North America: Western Region, 2011, p. 244
© Colin Talcroft, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Unless noted, all photos by the author. If you would like to use one of my images, please ask for permission for non-commercial use with proper credit or commercial use with proper compensation.
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
1990-2013 Sonoma County data. Graph provided by eBird (www.ebird.org), generated May 30, 2013
EBird reported occurrence in Sonoma County
Black Phoebe, Shollenberger Park, Petaluma, October 31, 2009
Black Phoebe, Campbell Cove, Bodega Bay, October 8, 2015