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| "I told you, I'm not hungry." Photo by J.J. Meyer |
Black
phoebes are monomorphic, meaning there are no differences in the
physical characteristics of males and females. Both parents are actively
involved in caring for their young.
They’re very
territorial and often remain year-round in an area with an established food
source. They build mud nests under the eaves of buildings, bridges and other
protected shelters. The female lays three to five eggs then incubates them for
15-18 days. Both parents tend the nestlings. The male often continues to feed
the young after fledging while the female re-nests. Once the babies are deemed old enough to fend
for themselves, the parents will aggressively run them out of their territory.
Because black
phoebes are insect eaters, they do not visit seed feeders. But you can attract
them to your yard by offering live mealworms. Start by placing a few in a dish
out in an open area where they can be easily seen on a flyby. Live mealworms
can be purchased at many nature and pet supply stores. And don't use
pesticides, if you'd like to attract insect-eating birds to your yard.
Happy Birding!
J.J.
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