Art by Barry Kent MacKay
An All-Creatures.org
Art and Photo Presentation

(Artwork - 058)
Eastern Phoebe
(Sayornis phoebe)

This is a detail from a larger painting that shows all members of the genus, Sayornis, the phoebes.

The Eastern Phoebe is found as a breeding species throughout central and eastern North America, south of the northern boreal forest and tundra. They are common, familiar and often build their nests under bridges, or in abandoned, or not-so-abandoned, buildings such as garages, barns, sheds, boat-houses and porches. Their calls are a distinctive “PHEEE-beee. They are not brightly coloured, so are easily overlooked by non-birders. They often sit on exposed perches, which is typical of the various species of Tyrant Flycatchers, and from there they will fly out to snap up small, flying insects.

This is a mixed media, acrylic and gouache watercolour, on illustration board, approximately life-size, and shows an adult female and young male at or just before the age they typically first leave the nest. 

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