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Montana Animal Field Guide

Montana Field Guides

Say's Phoebe - Sayornis saya

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Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S5B

Agency Status
USFWS: none
USFS: none
BLM: none
CFWCS Tier: 3
PIF: none





 

General Description
Say's Phoebe is a medium-sized flycatcher: length about 17 cm, body mass 21-22 g. Seasonally and sexually monomorphic. Adult upperparts pale brown gray, head and hindneck darker; tail brownish black and cinnamon colored belly and undertail coverts (Schukman, J. M. and Wolf, B. O. The Birds of North America, No. 374, 1998).

General Distribution
Montana Range



Western Hemisphere Range

 


Summary of Observations Submitted for Montana
Number of Observations: 952

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density

Recency

Breeding
(direct evidence "B")


Breeding
(indirect evidence "b")


No evidence of Breeding
(transient "t")


Overwintering
(regular observations "W")


Overwintering
(at least one obs. "w")



 

(Records associated with a range of dates are excluded from time charts)



Migration
Normal migration periods in the Bozeman area are May 7 to May 20 and early August.

Habitat
Open country, prairie ranches, sagebrush plains, badlands, dry barren foothills, canyons, and borders of deserts (Schukman and Wolf 1998).

Food Habits
Primarily flying or terrestrial insects, most frequently wild bees and wasps but also flies, beetles, and grasshoppers. Little vegetable matter (Schukman and Wolf 1998).

Reproductive Characteristics
Requires sheltered ledge or pocket on which to place nest. Eggs are ovate, usually pure white with little or no gloss. Clutch size typically 4-5 eggs (Schukman and Wolf 1998). Nesting records extend from May 11 to July 2. Recently hatched young were seen on July 24 in the Bozeman area.

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Citation for data on this website:
Say's Phoebe — Sayornis saya.  Montana Field Guide.  Retrieved on February 9, 2010, from http://FieldGuide.mt.gov/detail_ABPAE35030.aspx
 
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