Posted by Steve Rushing on September 29, 2022 at 4:11 pm
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Eastern Phoebe
A member in good standing of a bird family known to be difficult to identify individual species – Tyrant Flycatchers.
However, for us in the Eastern U.S., especially Southeast, Eastern Phoebes are the benchmark for starting the identification. When you see a flycatcher, you start the ID process by confirming it’s not a Phoebe. From there all bets are off. This is possible because they are by far the most abundant, they constantly wag their tail, & if that’s not enough, they loudly & proudly call out their name, “fee-bee”.
They attach their nests to human-made structures, becoming very familiar with us. They can be companions in our yards helping themselves to insects we stir up with sustainable yard care. This adaptability to our built environment is contributing to a slight growth in population numbers. If you would like their companionship, just keep an insect-friendly yard.