Say's Phoebe
Although primarily insect eaters, Say's Phoebes will eat other foods, such as berries, during long spells of cold, inclement weather, when insects are unavailable. It feeds mainly on grasshoppers.

The Say's Phoebe has a dusky head, breast and back with darker wings and a black tail. It has a light rust-colored belly and undertail coverts. It's call is a mellow, whistled pee-ur with a plaintive quality.

The Say's Phoebe prefers to nest in holes, crevices, on ledges, and on other protected horizontal surfaces of cliffs, rimrocks, steep creek banks and caverns. It frequently nests in abandoned mine shafts, buildings and under bridges. It will also use old nests of cliff swallows, barn swallows and black phoebes often using the same nest in subsequent years or for successive clutches.

The Say's Phoebe breeds from central Alaska, Yukon and northern Mackenzie south through western mountains to Mexico. It is not present west of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada except locally in south-central California and western Oregon. It winters in California and Southwest southward. The Say's Phoebe prefers plains, sparsely vegetated countryside, dry sunny locations, often near ranch houses, barns and other buildings.
Say's Phoebe Range Map

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