Photo: Wolfgang Wander / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Say’s Phoebe
Sayornis saya
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) — 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 Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 20.9 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 saya
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Say’s Phoebe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Say’s Phoebe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya) is a member of the Tyrannidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA Alaska to s Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.9 g, with a wing length of about 10.4 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Say’s Phoebe?
The Say’s Phoebe is a small bird that weighs around 20.9 g.
Where does the Say’s Phoebe live?
The Say’s Phoebe is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA Alaska to s Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Say’s Phoebe belong to?
The Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Say’s Phoebe eat?
The Say’s Phoebe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Say’s Phoebe migrate?
The Say’s Phoebe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Say’s 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 Say’s Phoebe make?
1 real field recording of the Say’s 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 Say’s Phoebe's range?
The Say’s Phoebe has a mapped global range of about 7.2 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.