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black phoebe
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A black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) with dark upperparts and white underparts perches on a branch among green leaves against a clear sky.
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black phoebe

bird
Also known as: Sayornis nigricans
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Quick Summary

A black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) with dark upperparts and white underparts perches on a branch among green leaves against a clear sky.
black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) The breeding range of the black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) extends from southwest Oregon and California south through Central and South America.

The black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is a bird species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is part of the phoebe genus (Sayornis), which includes three species of New World birds belonging to the tyrant-flycatcher family.12

Key characteristics of the black phoebe include:
* Appearance: It is predominantly dull or slaty black with a pure-white abdomen. It measures about 16 cm (6.3 inches) long, making it slightly smaller than the eastern phoebe.12
* Distribution: The black phoebe is the most widely distributed of the phoebe species, found near water from the southwestern United States down to Argentina.2
* Behavior: Like other phoebes, it has a habit of twitching its tail when perching.2
* Conservation Status: All three phoebe species, including the black phoebe, are classified as species of least concern by the IUCN, with increasing populations.2

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