Sayornis phoebe
Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is a small passerine bird. The genus name Sayornis is constructed from the specific part of Charles Lucien Bonaparte's name for Say's phoebe, Muscicapa saya, and Ancient Greek ornis, "bird". Phoebe is an alternative name for the Roman moon goddess Diana, but it may also have been chosen to imitate the bird's call.
Measurements: Length: 5.5–6.7 in (14–17 cm) Weight: 0.6–0.7 oz (16–21 g) Wingspan: 10.2–11.0 in (26–28 cm) This species appears remarkably big-headed, especially if it puffs up the small crest. Its plumage is gray-brown above. It has a white throat, dirty gray breast, and buffish underparts which become whiter during the breeding season. Two indistinct buff bars are present on each wing. Its all-dark bill and lack of an eye ring and wingbars distinguish it from other North American tyrant flycatchers, and it pumps its tail up and down like other phoebes when perching on a branch. The eastern phoebe's call is a sharp chip, and the song, from which it may get its name, is fee-bee.
The eastern wood pewee (Contopus virens) is extremely similar in appearance. It lacks the buff hue usually present on the lighter parts of the... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Voyageurs National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 11 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 12 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 13 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 16 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 17 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Celestún Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 19 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Phoebe sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 397 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 97th most-seen of the 270 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Phoebe in Big Bend National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to September, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Phoebe sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
13th of 19
Of the 19 parks where we can rate Eastern Phoebe sightings, Big Bend National Park ranks 13th at about 10%. The best odds are in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States, about 50%), Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 40%) and Congaree National Park (United States, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same genus: Sayornis
The closest relatives of the Eastern Phoebe that you can see in Big Bend National Park (genus Sayornis, Phoebes) are Say's Phoebe (about 40%) and Black Phoebe (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Phoebe is recorded against all the birds logged in Big Bend National Park (397 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
