Phainopepla

Phainopepla nitensOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Silky Flycatcher (Ptilogonatidae)

Codes: Common Name: PHAI Scientific Name: PHANIT ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179877

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Phainopepla: Small, flycatcher-like bird with glossy black body. Head has distinct crest and short, thin, black bill. Wings have large white patches visible in flight. Tail is long. Iris is red. Legs and feet are black. Feeds primarily on mistlestoe berries and small insects. Direct flight is high and fluttery.

Range and Habitat

Phainopepla: Breeds in the northern interior of California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, and southern New Mexico southward into Mexico. Spends winters in the southern part of its breeding range. Primarily found in washes, riparian areas, and other habitats that support arid scrubs.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"hoooeet", "quirk"

Interesting Facts

The Phainopepla is particularly notable for its pattern of breeding twice each year, in two different habitats.

When pursued by predators or handled by humans, it mimics the calls of other birds; imitations of at least 13 species have been recorded.

An individual eats at least 1,100 mistletoe berries per day, when they are available.

A group of silky flycatchers are collectively known as "a stand of silky flycatchers", and a "strand of silky flycatchers."

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Juan Costa

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Phainopepla

● Song: "hoooeet", "quirk"

● Foraging & Feeding: Phainopepla: Diet consists of mistletoe berries and insects; undigested seeds in droppings contribute to mistletoe dispersal.

● Breeding & nesting: Phainopepla: Two to four gray eggs with brown and black spots and blotches are laid in a shallow nest built in a mistletoe-bearing desert tree, usually along a wash or river. Eggs are incubated for 14 days by both parents.

● Similar species: Phainopepla: Male is unique. Gray Silky Flycatcher resembles female, but has a gray head and breast, dark gray upperparts, gray-black wings, and dull gray-brown throat.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight is high and fluttery.

● Range & Habitat: Phainopepla: Breeds in the northern interior of California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, and southern New Mexico southward into Mexico. Spends winters in the southern part of its breeding range. Primarily found in washes, riparian areas, and other habitats that support arid scrubs.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester, Small colonies

^PopulationFairly common to common

^MigrationNorthern birds migrate

^Weight0.8 Ounces

Perching-like Body

Crest

Tufts of feathers on the head of the bird.

Riparian

Relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Phainopepla

Related Birds

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Range and Habitat

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Interesting Facts

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Artist

Phainopepla

Flight Pattern