Photo: John Benson / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 19.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Sayornis
- Species phoebe
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike (brownish-grey above and darkest on the head, off-white below); the male averages very slightly larger and marginally darker but the sexes are not reliably separable by plumage in the field.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles resemble adults but show cinnamon-buff (reddish-brown) wingbars and feather edgings, a slightly paler head, and a more obvious yellow wash on the underparts.
Breeding vs non-breeding
Plumage does change with wear/season: fresh fall/non-breeding adults show a light yellowish wash on the underparts (strongest on the belly) that fades so the underparts are whiter by the breeding season.
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Eastern Phoebe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Eastern Phoebe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA nc Canada to sc, se USA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19.7 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eastern Phoebe?
The Eastern Phoebe is a small bird that weighs around 19.7 g.
Where does the Eastern Phoebe live?
The Eastern Phoebe is found across North America with a range covering NA nc Canada to sc, se USA, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Eastern Phoebe belong to?
The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Eastern Phoebe eat?
The Eastern Phoebe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Eastern Phoebe migrate?
The Eastern Phoebe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Eastern Phoebe endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Eastern Phoebe make?
1 real field recording of the Eastern Phoebe — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Eastern Phoebe's range?
The Eastern Phoebe has a mapped global range of about 6.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.