Eastern phoebe

The phoebe is one of the first flycatchers to return in spring, often arriving in April, and it announces itself with its own name, a hoarse fee-bee. A plain grey-brown bird with a dark head, it perches low and pumps its tail up and down in a way that is easy to recognize.

Phoebes often nest on ledges under bridges, on porch beams, and in sheds, building a cup of mud and moss. Some pairs raise two broods in a season and reuse the same nest in following years. The phoebe catches insects in mid-air, returning to the same perch afterward. It winters in the southern United States and Mexico.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Photos

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