Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyTyrannidae (Tirànids)
- GenusSayornis (Phoebes)
- SpeciesSayornis nigricans (Black Phoebe)
The black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is a passerine bird in the tyrant-flycatcher family. It breeds from southwest Oregon and California south through Central and South America. It occurs year-round throughout most of its range and migrates less than the other birds in its genus though its northern populations are partially migratory. Six subspecies are commonly recognized although two are occasionally combined as a separate species, the white-winged phoebe. The black phoebe has predominantly black plumage, with a white belly and undertail coverts. The sexes are identical in color, and juveniles have brown feather tips and brown wing-bars. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Black Phoebe sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 1,095 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park
Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
Vermilion Flycatcher
Pyrocephalus rubinus
Western Wood-Pewee
Contopus sordidulus
Western Kingbird
Tyrannus verticalis
Dusky Flycatcher
Empidonax oberholseri
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Empidonax difficilis
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus tyrannulus
Cassin's Kingbird
Tyrannus vociferans
Gray Flycatcher
Empidonax wrightii
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black Phoebe in Big Bend National Park?
About 25% of wildlife watchers report a Black Phoebe sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 1,095 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black Phoebe in Big Bend National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Black Phoebe in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.