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Eastern Phoebe

The Early Bird
by Gregory Gough (January 2004)

small bird with dark upperparts and pale underparts facing front.Eastern Phoebes are one of the first migratory birds to arrive in the spring in the northeastern United States. They often appear in March, well ahead of the peak migration for most forest songbirds (in May), and they are one of the last to leave in fall, with the peak of migration in October. Their early arrival and late departure allow them to nest twice a season, whereas many migratory birds only have time to nest once.

The aptly-named Eastern Phoebe sings its familiar "fee-bee" song throughout the eastern United States and Canada in spring and summer. This song is innately programmed, birds that have been hand-raised and not allowed to hear other phoebes still sing a perfect song. For most songbirds, however, being raised in isolation results in poor imitations of the true song—young birds need to hear other males of their species sing in order to fine tune their vocalizations.

small bird sitting on snow-covered feeder with mealworm in beak. Eastern Phoebes are quite hardy for a bird that feeds extensively on flying insects, and are regularly found throughout the southern United States and Mexico in winter. To survive cold spells in winter, they supplement their diet with fruits such as sumac, poison ivy, bayberry, and holly. Over 20% of their winter diet can be comprised of fruit, compared to less than 5% in spring and summer.

In winter, phoebes will join flocks of Eastern Bluebirds, Pine and Palm warblers and other species in loose flocks that forage in open fields and wood edges. Only rarely will more than one phoebe be in a flock; these are mostly solitary birds and only tolerate each other's presence during the breeding season.

small bird flying to perch. Bees and wasps are favorite food of Eastern Phoebes, although beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, and flies are also taken. These birds have a wide, flat bill, and hairy bristles at the base of their bills to help them funnel insects into their mouths. Sometimes they close their bills shut so emphatically that an audible "snap" is heard. Most insects are caught as the birds fly out to snatch them in mid-flight, but they occasionally pick insects off vegetation.

During the breeding season, Eastern Phoebes inhabit the edges of waterways and forest clearings, and typically eschew the forest interior. They do not build their nests in trees, but on rocks, under bridges, in culverts, and on the eaves of buildings. The nest is anchored with mud and covered with moss.

small bird at moss-covered nest on ledge with babies inside. Eastern Phoebes are quite loyal to their nests and will reuse them year after year. With a little spring cleaning an old nest can look like new. In contrast, most songbirds build completely new nests every year.

Historically, Eastern Phoebes were probably not particularly common because of their specific nest site requirements. These birds have likely benefited from human development and its resulting increase in nest sites, artificial though they may be. Over the last 40 years, Eastern Phoebe numbers have increased steadily, except for years following harsh winters.

Song recorded by John R. Sauer, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.

More about the Eastern Phoebe

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Comments (101):

  1. I have a pair of these birds nesting on a small platform I built against the house under the roof overhang. This article is interesting, helpful and certainly describes the birds' activities.

    7/7/2007

  2. We live in upstate NY, and currently have a second round of phoebes-- our previous group of four fledged about 3 weeks ago, and the new group is very young-- the parents did use the old nest again, which is located in the rafters of our garage. I have never seen birds around here re-use a nest like that, the only other opportunist being the cowbird.

    7/16/2007

  3. We live in Connecticut and have a nest with 4 young phoebes. A garage is being built and has scared away the mother. Any suggestions in feeding and caring for the 6 day old birds would be appreciated.

    8/8/2007

  4. Article was well put together, easy to read, with the desired info. Thank you!

    9/25/2007

  5. We live in Tallahassee (northern FL) & had what appeared to be a juvenile in our backyard by a small pond. Had never seen one before, but fortunately it stayed around awhile--so I could id it! It was in an area where I frequently see Ruby-crowned Kinglets during the winter months.

    1/9/2008

  6. This was an excellent resource. Thank you.

    3/13/2008

  7. I am seeing my first phoebe this March, in NC woods. I read elsewhere that the male cries out (endlessly!) until he and his mate nests, and then ceases calls. I've heard his calls for over a week now and seen no other phoebe. If there is no female around, why wouldn't he broaden his search territory? It is sad to hear him hour after hour, if there is no one to respond.

    3/14/2008

  8. I was doing a science project and it gave me a lot of helpful info about the phoebe.

    3/23/2008

  9. I live in McLean Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. While I was checking my email, a bird not familiar to me lighted on the crepe myrtle next to my office window. After checking What Bird and Cornell U's site, it appears it was an Eastern Wood Phoebe. I am delighted to have him nearby and to add him to my life list. Thank you for the additional information. I will listen for the signature call to see if my id was correct!

    3/28/2008

  10. Very good article. I had wondered if they reused their nests. We have a nest under one corner of our front porch and can observe it through a window. Our phoebe had five eggs and all have hatched making for a very crowded nest. I hope they all make it. I was surprised to see the adults have the ability to actually hover over one spot for several seconds, thinking only hummingbirds could do this. They are awesome to watch!

    4/22/2008

  11. We live in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia and had a pheobe nest under our porch roof for the first time last year. I see that they returned and look forward to a new hatch.

    4/23/2008

  12. The local phoebes have each year built a nest over the front door light of my house. The rear of the nest perches dangerously over the backplate (about 1.4 inch) of the light and then extends, exactly centered, over the stem the light, although it slopes and would require advanced engineering skills to balance the nest. Quite amazing.

    4/23/2008

  13. Good article. We live in central Ohio. A phoebe has built a nest on the hanging light of our small stone and cedar front porch which is rarely used by people. Wasps love that porch so maybe that's why she chose it. We first noticed the nest on May 1, but it has been there for a while because we believe the eggs have hatched and she is feeding the babies. We have seen other phoebes on our 6 acres, but this is the first nest we've observed. I have pictures, but I don't see an option to share them.

    5/2/2008

  14. We had our first encounter with the phoebe last spring and she is back again this year, having made repairs to the nest that is under a shed eve. She had 5 young last year and when they were near fledging, there wasn't enough room in the nest for all of them so I would find them lined up side by side on the ledge next to the nest. It is easy to see when she is on the nest because her long tail juts up out of the nest. A real joy to have this visitor.

    5/5/2008

  15. My husband and I have observed this bird nesting in two separate locations. One nest was built under the eaves of the front porch at our cabin. We were curious and climbed up on a ladder to see if there were any eggs or babies. We did not touch the nest and used a mirror to look in. The next time we visited the nest had disappeared and re-appeared under the eaves on the back of the cabin. A nest in an old shed at our farm also disappeared after we got curious. The birds have moved their nest even when we have kept our distance. Unlike our bluebirds these little birds are not tolerant of our presence. I have never seen anyone write about this. Has anyone else observed this?

    5/5/2008

  16. I live in Ohio during the summer and Fl. in the winters. When we arrived in Ohio this spring. May the 9th. 2008 We found a Phoebe had made a nest on the ceiling fan on the front porch. Such a beautiful nest. She had 2 babys which hatched a couple of days after our arrival. One morning 3 days after the hatching we found one of them had died and been thrown from the nest. The other is thriving. Such a great sight.

    5/15/2008

  17. This article was very helpful, I have been trying to ID this couple for weeks now. A mating pair made a nest in the front porch eave and have 4 babies that are about 10 days old. I have witnessed the hovering manuever, and have seen both birds feeding thier young. It appears they each feed separate babies in order to ensure everyone gets thier fill. If someone opens the front door whichever bird is on the nest immediately flies off, the nest is at least 12 feet from the door. These birds are very timid.

    5/15/2008

  18. Thank you for id'ing this bird for us. We live in Corinth NC and had never seen nor heard one before. After hearing his cheerful song outside of our bedroom window every morning I was determined to find out who he was. They have built a nest on a shelf under our aluminum awning. They are welcome to as many mosquitoes as they can eat! Thanks again, Jon and Wendy Cawley

    5/18/2008

  19. we have a nest up over are shed. thanks for the article it was helpful.

    5/19/2008

  20. I have many phoebe nests in Central arkansas in the ozark area. Last year, a new nest appeared on the side of my house just under the roof area. She came back this year as did many others. The wasp problem I have had is now gone. I do have grape vines growing on my deck and many blackberries around the property. I have a water fountain that i bought last year? Is this why they came? I would like to put more foods out for the phoebe so they will stay. Does anyone know what other foods I can put out?

    5/19/2008

  21. Great picture of both bird and nest for identification. More bird books should provide nest pictures. I have never before seen (or recognized) a Phoebe in my yard here in Acworth, Ga. I've been in this house for 17 years and spend lots of time watching and feeding birds (and, of course, squirrels). The nest is in the overhang at my back door. It started very sloppily, but it is now lovely and well constructed. A treat.

    5/24/2008

  22. Enjoyed reading all the info on phoebes. I had my first nest, and one baby hatched, it was fed, and then it turned out it was a cow bird baby. My daughter tells me, cow birds sometimes lay their eyes and the phoebes hatch them, or build a nest over it. Anyway, hope I get more phoebes, and am told their eggs are white. She has been checking out the nest again, so hopefully she will get going.

    5/24/2008

  23. Great article. I have a Phoebe couple who nest on our back (covered) deck every summer. They have two broods a summer. They DO catch insects in mid-air. The first group of fledglings just flew off the deck this afternoon. If someone from CRC would like to set up a camera one summer, we'd be open to that. We live in sight of the CRC fenceline.

    5/25/2008

  24. My phoebees act very differently from what is described. They have come back for 6 yrs. & will use the same nest for 2 broods but will not use same spot for a nest year to year unless I remove old one. They are hardly intolerant of one another's presence; in fact, they seem like the perfect couple sharing the tasks. When one was stunned from flying into window, I witnessed what could only be described as joyful reunion (the other flew to the other & chirped loudly). Sometimes, they are both so busy flying to nest to feed, that air traffic controller would seem advisable. They hang around together with last brood & depart together. Where are u getting your ideas about solitary? Wherever I am in house, they will adjust their feeding to be within sight, almost immediately. They also have various command signals. I have seen the young in a feeding frenzy freeze instantly when parent saw me & chirped just once. The fledglings leave nest at same time prompted by adult chirp. They also have expectations on how we are to behave; extended eye contact is considered rude, and long looks at the young are unacceptable. The older the chicks, the more unacceptable looking becomes & they will fly up & down in front of window before dropping to ground to divert our attention. They expect you to be cooperative & not stick your nose or ladder where it does not belong.

    5/31/2008

  25. We have a nest on our back porch that is used year after year. This year I was alarmed to spot a small wasp's nest about a foot away from the birds' nest. Then I learned from this article that wasps are part of their diet. that's reassuring! Here is a picture of our nest with 4 little peeplings. http://whozatvoice.net/porchbirds%20003.jpg

    6/1/2008

  26. It was most helpful. A phoebe has made a nest over a motion light that is above our garage doors. She does fly off the nest to perch on a nearby yard bench until we leave. A friend wanted to get on a ladder to check out the nest. Am glad I said no as one of your readers said their poebe moved her nest after such a viewing. How long does it take for the eggs to hatch?

    6/2/2008

  27. 1 other behavior I forgot to mention. I built our house & for 3 years the garage did not have doors. They nested inside (different nest each time) & it was quite messy from droppings. with doors, I was obliged to build platform under 3 foot overhang, well protected from predators. Nevertheless, the adults carry away every single poop, which works for me, too, since clapboards and platform remain spotless.

    6/2/2008

  28. I am so sad for my Phoebes. The female has disappeared, there are 5 eggs in the nest and the male is just calling and calling. I can barely stand it! He sounds so desperate, he goes to different locations of the yard looking for her. I hope he finds another mate. I don't think she's coming back :-(

    6/6/2008

  29. Very enlighting.We have had three nests 3 years of phoebes Two hatches each spring.One brood of five have already hached 2 days ago.It takes about 2 weeks for them to hatch. My husband has put his hand in nest to feel how many eggs. I told him I'd always heard they would remove or forsake their nest if you did this,but thank God they didn,t. I take a mirror to see the eggs and babies. They don,t seem to mind. I only do this when the moma is gone. We have a three year old grandaughter that loves to see them. We hold her up and use a mirror to see the eggs then the babies. She is so delighted! The nest is under an awning at our back kitchen door. June 8,2008

    6/8/2008

  30. Love the article. This is the third year these birds have come back to their nest under our deck in the backyard. It's amazing to see them catch their food in mid air and hover around the nesting area. We want to screen in the area under the deck, but I don't want to block them from their home. Isn't nature beautiful? We live in Senoia, Georgia.

    6/11/2008

  31. Thanks so much for the wonderful article and comments! We live in NH and have a nest with 5 babies on top of a column in our porch. They are so big we have no idea how they can all fit in the nest. We saw one take its first flight this evening--pushed out by its siblings. We can't sit on our porch too much--the mother seems very paranoid. So much fun to watch!

    6/11/2008

  32. great. i have a question: whats the average lifespan of the eastern phoebe?

    6/12/2008

  33. This article is right on. I have a Phoebe that has been nesting in the eave of my home for the past 3 years. The sound on here is exactrly it. Although, I have heard phoebe calls in a lower and longer tone hard to find that one. Thanks.me

    6/13/2008

  34. Great article. I have a question. How long does it take for the babies to be mature enough to fly away? I have a cat and everyday I am afraid for these birds. The nest is in a great place, can not be seen by the cat and the cat can not get to the nest. At this point, the cat does't even know they are there. However, the mom and dad birds kind of swoop down and up as they fly in and out of my porch. It is at this time that the cat could reach up and get one. I am keeping my cat inside alot but now I realize that they have two broods? Oh man. My cat is driving me crazy wanting to get out. So....how long does it take for the babies to fly away. Does anyone want a cat?

    6/15/2008

  35. My screened porch doubles as a carport and a couple of weeks ago I looked at the motion detector over my car and saw a Phoebe sitting on her nest. I talked to her every time I went to my car and she got used to me looking at her through the slats in the porch. Eight days ago all five eggs hatched and already they're pushing each other out of the nest (thankfully I had constructed a "net" by stapling a large clear trash bag under the light fixture). Three times now I've scooped a fallen chick back into the nest. The female sits on the nest at night and then both parents feed them during the day. Once, I witnessed the male bring the sitting female a bug which she then fed to the chicks. All told, I'm sure I have spent hours laying on my porch floor watching this nest that's just ten inches away! Nashville, TN

    6/16/2008

  36. This is Nashville again...last night after signing off I went to check on the chicks and this time two were in the "net". I scooped them back into the nest without directly touching them and told them to behave (they were extremely aggressive toward one another). This morning all five were out of the nest. Was it a case of murder/suicide? Did the parents do it? If the nest was infested with Clover Mites (which I suspect) did it drive them mad? This behavior is so unlike what I witnessed this spring in a different Phoebe nest. When I discovered the earlier nest there were four "teenagers" contently lounging on the nest with a parent nearby squawking at them (that's why I noticed them). I can send a picture of them if you like. Let me know. vweathers@yahoo.com

    6/17/2008

  37. I have a friend who passed away recently and she was a lover of all species, especially birds. Her name was Phoebe and she has left behind her beloved husband Peter. She was a gardener and animal-lover. I wanted to attract the Eastern Phoebe to her old garden where Peter could talk to the birds whenever he missed her. He lives in central Arkansas and I read this is where they reside most of the time. Does anyone know how I could get this started for him? What I need to plant?

    6/19/2008

  38. 6/19/08 Several times I saw a Phoebe by my open garage and discovered a Phoebe nesting in an old swallow nest in the garage. The nest was redecorated with moss as described. She's appears to be setting on eggs so the garage doors will remain open for a few more weeks.

    6/19/2008

  39. I love the article and all the input. I just had five babies fly away after 16 days. The first one flew when he didn't know I was standing right there, and when he flew off, barely inches off the ground, the mother came from out of nowhere and lifted him from behind into a tree. Can't wait for the next brood!

    6/22/2008

  40. We have 20 acres of relatively new growth trees (clear cut 9 years ago) in NW Wisconsin with a small wood crib for firewood and now a small (but tall) shed both with steep peaked roofs and overhangs. The Phoebes first tried to build in the wood crib on a solar shower hung on a nail but now have moved to trying to build under the eaves of the shed and on top of the shudder. Last year we had lots of wasps, but this year not so many and this article points out why. There's also loads of mosquitos with the wet spring/summer we're seeing here. So if you'd want to attract them plant things that wasps like or other insects like (native flowering plants like Joe Pyeweed aka Boneset, etc...) and provide a nice peak with eaves. They like being only 6-8 feet of the ground on my property which has lots of cover. Local chapters of your Audobon Society could help with best practices for local conditions. Cute bird to have around.

    6/24/2008

  41. Thank you for the interesting article. We have Phoebes nesting under our front porch and also under the eve of our shed in the back yard. Our property is at the edge of woods and a stream in Columbia, Missouri. The birds return each year in early Spring to raise their two clutches of young ones. They are undoubtedly the busiest little birds I have ever seen.

    6/28/2008

  42. Well...we have had phoebes nesting on our front light for 10 years, and I understand that before we lived here they did the same. My revelation this year was that they do, indeed, have two broods!! No wonder our front door is off limits for months!!!

    7/2/2008

  43. I came across the name of this bird (phoebe) in a great new novel "Prodigal Summer", written by Barbara Kingsolver. I recommend it to people that still like a poetic and artistic writing of things related to nature that are down to earth.

    7/2/2008

  44. I have phoebes nesting in the eaves of my porch, now on their second brood of the season, and have spent many hours happily watching them. On two separate occasions, I watched a parent phoebe, which was sitting quietly on the porch rail, extend its neck and open its mouth in a kind of burping motion, and out came . . . I don't know . . . the first couple of times it looked like the fluff from a dandelion seed, which drifted off in the air. Then it looked more like tiny soap bubbles, which doesn't make sense. As I said, two separate occasions, a couple of days apart. Anybody else seen anything like this? Any ideas as to what it might be they're disgorging?

    7/6/2008

  45. I live the Appalachian mountains in Buladean, NC. At the beginning of the year their was a mating pair who started a brood under my back deck. They managed to successfully raise three young to adulthood. They would frequently hunt for insects over a spring in my yard. I observed them, on numerous occasions, snapping for insects. Is it really simply them grabbing the insects or could it be part of their hunting strategy?

    7/9/2008

  46. Very interesting article. Thank you! We live north of Des Moines, IA and have had the same pair come back for several years to rear 2 families of young ones each summer on our motion light out over the hot tub.

    7/15/2008

  47. Exellent article. We live on a lake side in Maine. We have had a pair of Phoebe's come here now for the past four years. The stay in a nest in the eve of the roof. There is a deck about 10 feet below the nest, and the nest is very high and we have never seen any other animals any where near this area. Two years ago we found all of the babies dead, still without feathers laying on a deck below the nest. This year we found four mature, yet not ready to fly, babies lying on the same deck and also dead. No signs of animal attack etc. It appears that for some reason they are thrown out of the nest. All four birds looked healthy and almost ready to fly. Is this an occasional trait of the mature Phoebe parents?

    7/17/2008

  48. Good information. I observed for the first time this year (Aug 25th) a group of 5 phoebes in and around my yard, hunting for insects and bathing. They were very animated, social, and lovely to watch. Is this a flock, or am I seeing parents and little ones - they all seem the same size, all are hunting, no one is being fed. any comments would be helpful

    8/24/2008

  49. Informative text and well written. We've had phoebes under our front central Massachusetts porch between May and Sept. for at least 15-yrs. They've built 3 nests, in a row, but seem to favor one in particular . Lately one adult returns to nest each night. This is a first for this "returning to the nest" behavior. Since it's now mid-September, we think it's a little out of character for phoebes...but then again maybe not. But who knows?

    9/12/2008

  50. This was a great article. Since I've just noticed Eastern Phoeboes here in western WI in the past 2 yrs, I didn't know too much about them. One pair kept trying to make a nest under the gooseneck of our horse trailer which I had to keep taking down. They have also used the door tracks on our pole shed. I now have a nesting platform and am wondering if it makes a diff. which direction it needs to face.

    9/30/2008

  51. I met my first Phoebe walking with a friend in the woods in Yellow Springs, Ohio. This bird came to us as we stood on a wooden bridge. He sat close to us for a while, and then started flying around our faces. After many minutes, he landed on my arm, and then on the top of my head, repeatedly. He flew off once to catch a flying insect, and came right back. Then he sat on my hand and allowed me to reach into my pocket with my other hand, get out my camera, and take is picture. I would love to share the photos.

    10/18/2008

  52. Excellent article. I live in the White Mountains of NH, and have phoebes nesting on the light on my back porch for 20 years. I call them "my phoebes". Until this year, I had no answer as to why some of the babies died. But this summer, I was in the kitchen, and I hear the loud raucous call of a blue jay, and looked out in time to see it attack the phoebe nest. The brave parents were trying to defend their home by frantically flying back and forth and calling. In a flash, I ran out the back door and started yelling and the blue jay flew away. But it was too late. It was silent in the nest. A few weeks later, I noticed that they were refreshing the nest to try again.

    10/28/2008

  53. Very informative! I have A great story. I live in the very northeastern tip of Ohio, and my land is on the edge of a creek. While searching for acorns one afternoon, this bird flew up to my face within an inch. It hovered there for about five seconds and then flew over to a branch to what it seemed to me to be observing me. This bird continued to do this for the next hour, at least twenty times. I thought maybe I was by its nest so i moved to another spot. to my surprise and delight, he followed me repeating his actions. It was almost as if he was trying to tell me something. It was getting late so I said goodbye And thanked him for his company and said goodbye thinking that would be our only meeting. The next day I returned to the same spot hoping to see my new friend, and low and behold, there he was. The only difference was when he flew away, he would land on a branch about six inches from me. I decided to see how far he would follow me so I walked down to the creek about 100 yds. from our spot. I was crouched down picking up some acorns and guess who showed up? my hand was on a branch and he hopped over to my and touched my finger with his beak. Maybe he's just friendly, maybe he's lonely, or maybe he's a friend or family member whose spirit has come back. Whatever the case, I enjoy the company, and hope to see him again in the spring. My name is Karl and I hope you enjoy my encounter!

    12/14/2008

  54. I believe this is the species of bird I have been observing here in California; although the one I have been seeing seems darker in color. Last year some birds had made a nest under the eaves on our pool house. The nest was composed with a lot of mud which is not characteristic of our local phoebes. The brood did not survive probably due to the large number of cats in the area. I have recently noticed this bird more frequently in the area and observed another nest built in a cement stand pipe at one of our ranches. The bird appears to be a permanent residence here in the San Joaquin Valley. I wonder what the bird could be eating during the months of December and January--but realized that we have a lot bee hives that have been moved into the area which may be part of their diet this time of year. Last week 1/24/09 I saw the bird again around our house here in Visalia CA. I had previously removed the nest so if it was the returning pair their old home is gone. I any event I wonder if this is indeed the eastern Phoebe expanding its range to the West Coast or some other species of Phoebe? I am no means a bird expert and will continue to research what I am seeing.

    1/26/2009

  55. The above bird is a Black Phoebe increasingly common in the West

    1/26/2009

  56. The above bird is a Black Phoebe and not an Eastern Phoebe. The Eastern Phoebe has a white throat while the Black Phoebe does not which is the case for the above bird.

    1/26/2009

  57. I am watching our Phoebes right now and listening to them snap their beaks as they dive on our flying bugs. I am in Charlotte and sitting on a screened porch. They nest under the porch in the floor joists. They are very friendly birds and seem to be used to us. One little Phoebe followed me around all last Saturday while I did yard work as if she were a pet. Every time I stopped she would follow and fly up into a tree within 6 feet and watch me. We have had them for 6 years now in the same nest. None of their children have ever built a nest under the porch near their parents. I wonder if they are territorial because there is plenty of space for more nests. We (me and my kids) check out their young every year. I try to time it when they are out hunting so as not to scare the mother off the nest. They are always near by and just watch us. To my knowledge, we have never lost any young. And we never have wasps, which I always thought was weird. Now I know why.

    3/9/2009

  58. We completed building our home last March - and a pair of Phoebes were trying to nest under a storage trailer that we had out there - that was getting ready to be moved out. So I quickly made a platform nest under our eaves - and moved some of the mud nest out from under the storage trailer to the new platform nest - they immediately started to build on the new nest - and they had 3 clutches last year. They were so fun to watch. They also just showed up here recently, and I can hear them every day. I left the old nest - so hopefully the will reuse it. Very different from the Chickadees, and Bluebird boxes we have - where we clean them out. I was wondering If we had to do the same - sounds like not, and we'll leave it for them.

    4/1/2009

  59. Great article. I'd always called this bird the "Oh Well" because I thought that was what he was saying. >:-)

    4/5/2009

  60. i have a phoebe nest on my fan on my padio

    4/9/2009

  61. Great info! My house is a wildlife certified habitat and at the beginning we had a lot of boxelder bugs on the walls. Came the wasps to clean them out and now for the first time I have a couple of Eastern Phoebes nesting under the eaves in a corner over my front porch.They arrived 3 weeks ago, end of March here in PA, and I discovered the nest because of the pile of mud and moss that fell from the corner. The male was singing from the top of the white pines for a while but now female and male are buildind the nest and chirping at each other. I hope they will be succesful, we will keep distant watch following what I read , Thanks!

    4/13/2009

  62. Our phoebe is back with us in San Antonio for the third year, and last week hatched four of the five eggs it laid. Last year it laid and hatched three sets of eggs, and two the year before. Her nest is just outside our living room window, in a well-sheltered spot on the lee side of a beam that runs across our covered entryway. She's become a regular part of our family. This weekend she followed my wife around as she worked in the yard, snapping up the bugs stirred up by my wifes yardwork.

    4/15/2009

  63. Good article. I live in Maben, MS and have a phoebe who has built a nest in the hay area of the barn. She doesn't like it when I go in the hay area to get hay, but she comes right back to the next once I go out. If they eat wasps, I sure could use help with that! Was going to take the next down this coming winter, but based on the article, looks like I should leave it and see if she comes back.

    4/23/2009

  64. its good but is there any way you can make a phoebe's call?

    4/23/2009

  65. I have one nesting on my front porch column. She is diligent in making her nest. The Georgia DNR helped me to identify it. I want to find a pic of the male and female. Cumming, GA

    4/30/2009

  66. We have a Phoebe nest on a log beam just off our bedroom window. Each morning around 5:15 she starts hovering at the window and pecking it with her beak and her wings flapping. She does this all day long until the sun sets. She does not do this to any other window in the house just this one. Does anyone have any ideas why she does this? I was thinking maybe she is catching bugs, but there are bugs flying around all the other windows as well. We can see the inside of the nest by sticking our heads out the window and there appears to be no eggs yet. I am loooking forward to seeing babies, but she can drive you alittle crazy in the morning. We haven't needed an alarm clock for about a month now. Bristol, Maine

    5/1/2009

  67. I have a Phoebee building a nest right on top of the light fixture on my deck. Both the male and female seem to be involved in building the nest - and continually fly back and forth to it all day. It is just outside of my back door, though, and when I open the door onto the deck they fly off. I am afraid that they might abandon the nest - and I am trying to keep from disturbing them too much - should I be concerned about this or are they tolerant enough to hang in?

    5/4/2009

  68. I think we have a Phoebe building a nest on our front porch--but we don't live in the NE US we are in Boulder, Co!!! Is it possible that we have a Phoebe??? Our bird looks like and has been building a nest as described here.

    5/5/2009

  69. try to put as much stuff on there as possible for more research on the eastern phoebe

    5/11/2009

  70. Very informative. We have a nest on a drain pipe under the eaves and did not know what kind of bird it was. Found it by the type nest. Thank you.

    5/14/2009

  71. Very informative sight. I have a phoebe nesting on my front porch. She has 4 creamy colored eggs and 1 speckled egg. I'm afraid it is a cowbird egg and wondering if I should get rid of this egg. Also, we notice she doesn't sit on her nest all day and comes back to sit on it all night. Is this normal behavior?

    5/18/2009

  72. Good article. We have a phoebe's nest in the eaves of our porch, and the birds return to it every year - for at least five years. Last year we had a very traumatic event - when the first set of chicks were born, another bird who had been hovering, systematically picked up or pushed the babies out of the next and onto the deck. We picked up a few - but couldn't be there 24/7, and finally all five were dead. Almost immediately another bird laid eggs in the nest. Does anyone know what was going on? I've asked our Audubon friends, but so far no-one has a clue. This year, one egg is hatched but the chick is dead...we're holding our breath!

    5/22/2009

  73. I would like to know if they eat spiders?

    5/22/2009

  74. I live in Winston Salem, N.C. and have a Phoebe nesting on my front porch, just over the column. When I'm working on the computer near the window she seems to watch me. When I first noticed her she was feeding her young. I only saw one really large baby fly away, wondering now if maybe it was a cowbird. The very same afternoon both birds were adding more material to the nest and she started sitting on the nest again. I assume she layed more eggs immediately and started raising another family. I noticed that both parents look alike, they fly down onto a plant stand or my Sundial in the yard and appear to be looking in the window at me. This is the first time that I have witinessed a Phoebe. I have also saw them hovering like the humming bird. Very pretty birds.

    5/23/2009

  75. I have a female sitting on 4 eggs which she laid and then left for about 5 days. It is right next to my front door and everytime I opened it she flew away. She came back about 12 days ago and is sitting on the eggs...are they still viable or is she wasting her time? How long does it take for them to hatch?

    5/27/2009

  76. I live in Rehoboth, Mass. and have a Phoebe nest in the eave near our screen porch. The birds are very diligent in taking care of there young and it took us some time to identify this Phoebe bird because its the first time we have ever seen one around here.

    5/30/2009

  77. Have a breeding pair inside my porch, which we are in the process of screening in. I love the birds but I need to get this porch done! Has anyone tried to move a nest successfully?? I can wait for the first brood, but I can't wait for the second.

    5/30/2009

  78. This is my 3rd year with these special birds and feel privileged they choose to come back year after year. Very informative article! Jaybee - Harrison, Maine

    5/31/2009

  79. Thank you for helping me identify my morning friends here in Central Maine. I've never been much of a bird watcher but I love watching these little guys/gals come and go. Their ability to almost hover amazes me everytime. - Kris (Lisbon Falls, ME)

    6/9/2009

  80. We live in Camden, Maine. On our shed there is a Phoebe nest built on top of the trellis under an overhang; no young seen yet, but we are looking out for them.

    6/9/2009

  81. This is an excellent article. I did read that the birds are very timid. Ours is timid but has learned that everytime the door is opened that we will not harm them. She (he?) stays in the nest and just looks at us. She is raising her second bunch of babies. Oh by the way, ours start singing at 6 a.m., our normal time to get up so we don't even have to use an alarm clock. We are from Gordon, GA

    6/10/2009

  82. I love this site. We have had Phoebe birds nesting under the front porch eaves for the past 3 years. They always have two familys at two nests sites. I was not aware they reused the nests, so now I know to leave them up. This morning when I went to check on them, I found one on the floor, dead and two more dead in the nest. But one was dangling out of the nest with one foot tangled up in some moss. So, I now have that one baby in the house with me and since this morning, he has started eating more with each pass hour and is taking tiny sips of water. I raise chickens for a hobby and I am hoping my experience with baby chicks will help me care for this one. Wish me luck!! - Diane (Argo, AL)

    6/10/2009

  83. I live in Columbia, SC and there is a pair of phoebes nesting under the eave of our front porch. There are four babies in the nest and it is fun watching them and watching the parents feeding them. I saw one of them catch a dragonfly and feed it to the babies. I think they hatched last week so I am guessing they will probably be leaving this week or next week. I hope they will nest here again soon. - Kimberly (Columbia, SC)

    6/14/2009

  84. Am upstate New York and have, thanks to your excellent article and helpful comments from others, finally identified my new visitors as Eastern Phoebes. They built a neat, sturdy mud and straw half-circle nest (after two failed attempts, that smeared mud all over the door) directly over the front door which I go in and out of frequently. Mom very flighty and takes off every time I open door, but has managed nevertheless to hatch babies; can't say how many yet, at least two little fluffy heads I have seen peeking over edge. Am looking forward to summer with these little charmers; want to figure out some sort of net, just in case...but no room over door. What about a big pile of straw on the ground directly beneath the nest??? Any thoughts?

    6/15/2009

  85. We have a pair of Phoebe's that build thier nest over our porch light every year for the last 3 years. This year the same, they built thier next, she laid 5 eggs and has been laying on the eggs. This weekend something strange happended. We noticed that they pair of Phoebe's started dismantling thier nest and rebuilding the new nest on top of the trellis under an overhang on our shed. They also moved the 5 eggs!! We dont know what made them move the nest. . . the disasembled the 1st nest down to the last speck of mud, you cannot tell there was a nest at the light anymore and they reused all the materials for thier new nest! My question. . . how in the world did they move the eggs??? Has anyone every experienced this? Curious in Greene, Maine.

    6/15/2009

  86. I loved this article! I have had these sweet birds on top of my porch light fixture for 4 or 5 years. They always raise 2 broods each year and both parents are diligent workers. This year as the hen sat on her 2nd group of eggs, the 4 first babies lined up on the wire next to her for a while as if to say good-bye.

    6/17/2009

  87. I have a strong dislike for phoebes. Their nests attract mites and these mites end up getting in the house and cause great discomfort biting people as well as the baby birds. After dealing with this several summers in a row, I finally found the source (the phoebe nests under the eaves.) This is not an isolated instance. A friend of mine had the same problem at his house. Other birds nest near my home with no problem but phoebes always attract these vicious mites. If you have phoebes near your house, all I can say is be careful. You may find yourself itching and scratching and end up with a house full of biting mites. If you allow phoebes to nest near your house, you are asking for trouble.

    6/18/2009

  88. We have a pair of Phoebes that have nested on top of our porch light. It appears the male and female take turns sitting in the nest. At least one of them has been sitting on the nest for 21 days, which makes us worried that maybe the eggs are addled. I haven't been able to find out how long it takes for eggs to hatch.

    6/21/2009

  89. For comment 88. It takes 2 weeks for the eggs to hatch, aprox . For the past several years Eastern Phoebe's returning, building their nest on the ledge of the electrical circuit box.This is located on on to be building acreage . We did not know until the following occurred what type of birds they were. This year, my husband told me that there were new babies, and a few days later, told me that he had not see the parents for several days. We went out on a Friday afternoon, and all I could see was one tiny yellow beak, and there was no noise from the nest. I thought the baby was too quiet, but did not want to disturb anything at this time, As "they " say, leave the babies where they are. The following Monday afternoon, we went out again, and I immediately went to the nest, and this time I saw the tip of the beak. No peeps. I pulled the nest down, and the baby bird was lying in the bottom barely breathing. I thought it was dead at first. I saw the tiny movement, and could not let the baby die. I had a straw, and forced water into the mouth. I had bread, made a mush, and forced open the beak again. When I got home, I went on the internet to find out what to do. I fed the baby mushed cat food with a 1mm syringe, forcing the beak open. I contacted the DEP, and went on with the search for help. With each call, I was told that no one one would take a baby bird. From 2pm until 10 pm, I forced this birdie to eat, once an hour, as I was to advised by a Licensed rehabilitater of wildlife(CT). At 10:15 that evening, I heard a tiny peep. I could not believe itpeep, peep . I stayed up all night attending to the birdie, . I had made a tissue nest in a bowl, in a box with a towel and a heating pad. I changed the nesting, and fed my birdie for 5 entire days, from 15 min (whenever she asked) to 40 min intervals, from 6 am, until 9pm(or so , sun up to sun down). Finally we got a rehabilator to tentatively identify by our story of the nest location of the bird, the baby as a Eastern Phoebe. We brought the bird to her house for positive identification. My Eastern Phoebe was taken in by this kind lady. She said earlier she did not take babies. When she saw "Persaline" she immediately said she would help us. I asked her why. She told me thatI did an excellent job, and she felt she cold return her to the wild. I had already started my birdie to identify with me, she wanted to be with me, would snuggle in my hand. I did not know any better. I was stunned at how social she was, and affectionate. I disagree with the article stating that they are not social. Our Eastern Phoebes that nested on our porch(now I know what they were!) were very social as the person in the above comment stated.. This experience has been an awesome one for me. Now I know what they mean by loving Gods creatures great and small. I never would have known what delightful loving creatures birds could be if not for my "Persaline Harmony" I cried days after she left.I missed her little peepes for food, AND her pleas for attention when I walked by. I have contacted her caretaker over the 3 weeks since, she is hoping that in a week or so, that "Persaline" will fly with the other birds. If not for me, that baby would have died.Each creature has its place, and this birdie was meant to live. Today we found another nest with 5 eggs in it, and one is a cow bird egg. I took it out, not knowing what it was, only that it did not belong there. I have researched it, and found out that cow birds are parasitic, and lay their eggs in other birds nest. One egg to a nest, up to 36 eggs a season, up to 36 nests! . They often return to check on their baby. I believe that a cow bird may have been the destroyer of that nest, I believe she chased the parents away, after leaving her egg as she did this time.Possible the parents booted it out, as they will, and the cow bird acted out. (they call it mafia behavior). Now the Eastern Phoebe parents are back, after nearly a month, with their new clutch. A nice story.

    6/30/2009

  90. Back in May, I watched an Eastern Phoebe, who I named Little Miss, construct her nest. She had a partner bird, appropriately named Little Mister. She laid 4 eggs, all of whiched hatched but the babies died and the nest was infested with mites. With a very heavy heart, we had to remove the nest because of the mites. The next day, Little Miss and Little Mister rebuilt a new nest. Little Miss laid 5 eggs. All of the eggs hatched except for one. It was amazing to watch Little Miss and Mister feed the babies. The experience of watching the babies grow was incredible. Everyday was something new, from poking out their heads, to becoming defined with eyes, tails, wings, full feathered bodies perched on the side of the nest. I went out yesterday afternoon to take my pups out and all 4 babies were perched on a rope about 8 inches from their nest. They sat there all day stretching their wings and flapping as if practicing for take off. I knew it was just a matter of hours and they'd be gone. My heart ached knowing they were going to leave because watching them brought so much pleasure. Early in the evening 3 of the babies flew. One went into a tree. One landed in the grass and one landed on the roof of my car. One stayed put on the rope. I was so worried about the 3 that flew but saw Little Miss perched high on a wire watching them. Little Mister disappeared a few days ago. The baby who stayed cried for Little Miss for about an hour. She came in and fed him a bug and left. He continued to cry for a bit. He started stretching his wings and practiced the flapping and as he practiced he'd take a hop or two across the rope line. He made it to the end of the rope and hopped over to the ledge of the carport and sat there for a minute. Then off he went and landed in the grass. He flew up on the fence for a minute and chirped and then he left. Little Miss must not have been watching because she came in to feed him and he was gone. She checked the nest a few times looking for him. She sat on the rope for about 30 seconds, flew over to me and gave a wing flap and left. It was one of the best experiences ever but man oh man did it ever break my heart to see them go. I'm so happy to be reading here that they may return.

    7/17/2009

  91. We have had family of Phoebes nesting in the same location for years. My question is this. Who returns to the nest after migration? Is it the parents? The young? What is the average lifespan of a phoebe?

    7/28/2009

  92. We have a house in Eureka Springs, Arkansas., it is a newly built home out in the country, very secluded. this little bird built a nest on my window edge under the eves of the roof..was not sure what kind of bird it was at first, and then again this spring, they built another nest, as we has knocked that one down last winter..it was empty..we where painting...so anyway, they built a nest in the exact same pace, so makes me think it could have been same female. I photographed the bird several times so I had something to refrence to and found her in a bird book...it described her to a T !! very intresting....I am scrapboking the progress and history of our house, and since she was a part of it, I wanted some good info to put in the scrapbook...thanks so much!..by the way, LOVE thier chirp..they really do say "phee-bee, phee-bee".....

    8/2/2009

  93. I saw a phoebe today at ocmulgee national monument in perfect light that had an intense yellow belly, a whitish throat with a strong yellow wash, the outermost tail feathers appeared to be yellow. The head and back were a dense charcoal black. I've never seen one whose colors were so intense. Still- had to be an eastern phoebe right?

    8/26/2009

  94. Great details and pictures. One of my cats brought a bird up, still alive but broken wing. We have been caring for her and just wondered what she was. Looks like a few more days of rest and she just might be ready to try flying again. Great idea now of what she eats also. She has been enjoying grapes and dried shrimp.

    9/6/2009

  95. Hi: Enjoyed your article. We have had eastern phoebes making nests and having 2 sets of broods a season since 2005. They are above our front door, under our front porch. We sit out there, talk to them, they are not afraid and don't fly away. I don't know if this is unusual or not, but we just buried what I believe to be the mother. She returned to the nest Sept. 15th. She looked odd, standing on the nest, facing the wall with her head down. She left Wed. am, but returned Wed. pm. She lay in the nest and died over night. Is this usual for a bird to come home to die?

    9/18/2009

  96. Terrific article! I was able to positively identify a bird I rescued Aug 11 that I thought was a swallow. Persalines story if very similar to mine. I live in mid Missouri near the Missouri river just north of Jefferson City. My grandchildren and I found Tweeters in the middle of a gravel road. Thinking she had fallen from a nest and could be hit by a car, we took her home. I have been feeding her for 2 months tomorrow (Oct 11, 2009). She eats Kaytee exact formula for hand feeding baby birds and also Soft Bill Diet from Kaytee exact as well to make sure she gets proper nutrition. We tried to release her 2 weeks after we found her but she kept flying to the ground and tweeting (cat bait no doubt) and also back to me after an hour or so. Fearing for her safety, I wondered if she was too young to be released since she was exhibiting the same behavior as when I found her fallen from tne nest. Here it is 6 weeks later and I want very much to release her so she can get on with her life but now am afraid she may have missed the migration bus, so to speak. What should I do? My husband says I should get a really large cage and keep her til spring. I want to do what is best for her. After working so hard to save her, I don't want to do anything to jeopardize her well being in anyway. I would even drive her to a southern state if that is best for her. Advice welcome!

    10/10/2009

  97. I shot a 12-second video of Eastern Phoebe in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, New York. Here is the youTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJDU_ySyZ1E Enjoy!

    10/14/2009

  98. Great article & comments! My wife and I have encountered a very friendly Eastern Phoebe in our yard here in Greenville, SC. Two weeks ago, one started following me around and hovered in my face as I spoke to him. A couple of days ago, he returned and even landed on my wife foot when she was sitting outside. I called to him and he then landed on my head from 30 feet away! I told my neighbor and he said the same bird had landed on his shoulder and head last week. He sure likes people! We even took pictures.

    10/15/2009

  99. 99. Like the commenter in #98, I had an encounter with a friendly Eastern Phoebe yesterday. It was the first I had seen a Phoebe and it looked exactly like the picture at the beginning of this article. It first flew at my face and startled me, but I decided it was being friendly in it's own way. I made friends with it and it would sit on my thumb and eat out of my hand. Ocasionally, it would fly up to my face and peck in my nostril, but it wouldn't hurt me. It was gone today, so I figured it was headed South. 10/25/09

    10/25/2009

  100. It is Jan 30 in Central Indiana with skin of ice on the creek. Was down to 6 degrees F last night, inch of snow on the ground. Surprized to see our Phoebe flitting around today in the branches of the trees. Earliest previous spring sighting in our yard was March 1. Wonder if this bird is really early this year - or has he stayed over winter in the barn & I simply didn't notice since Nov?

    1/30/2010

  101. Our Pheobe family has nested in our horse barn year after year. The same nest is used, each time a new tier is built on top of the old tier. Since we have horses, their tail hairs make a nice interior lining for the nest. We've observed two broods each year, that have all made it in spite of the fact that we have two male barn cats lurking about. However, tragedy has come the end of January 2009. The female built her nest way too early even for GA. She sat on the nest and the male Pheobe nestled in beside her, with both wings spread wide over her and the nest. They stayed that way for several days and we began to worry. My husband climbed a ladder and sadly reported that the Pheobe couple had died together. There were no eggs. The female must have been unwell and the male refused to leave her side. He thought she was worth dying for. We are so sad. :(

    2/3/2010

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