Scientific Name: Sayornis saya
Residency: This species is a year-round resident within southern Arizona. During summer, it also resides in northern Arizona.
Diet: Feeds upon a variety of insects. This bird is a ?sit-and-wait? insect catcher, although it sometimes will catch insects in mid-flight.

Predators: Preyed upon by hawks and falcons.  Nest predators (known or suspected) include rattlesnakes, red squirrels, chipmunks, Merlin, Clark?s Nutcracker, and domestic cat.
Nesting: Nest locations vary greatly from rocky ledges and trees to barns. Regardless of location, the nest is often made of mud, grasses, weeds, mosses, twigs, spider webs, and other materials, and is cup-shaped. This Phoebe may lay 7-12 eggs in one season.

Nesting Records: Scottsdale Community College.
Notes: Population numbers of this species seem to be stable throughout all of its range, including the Sonoran Desert. This bird seems to benefit from urbanization through human-made structures used for nest sites.

Photo: Taken at Scottsdale Community College on March 5, 2007. For more photos, click on camera icon.

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