Say’s Phoebe

Sayornis saya

The Say’s Phoebe is a year-round resident in San Diego and most of the southwestern USA and central Mexico. But they breed in spring and summer throughout the western USA, even north to the Canadian Yukon and Alaska’s Bering Sea and Arctic shores in summer. No other flycatcher breeds as far north as the Say’s Phoebe. They are at home in desolate places and areas of low brush and grasslands.

Taxonomists recognise three subspecies of Say’s Phoebe:

S. s. saya breeds from northern Alaska and Yukon south to central Mexico. It spends winters from central California and further south.
S. s. quiescens lives in northern Baja California (Mexico) and in Arizona and southeastern California.
S. s. pallida is not acknowledged as a subspecies by all researchers. They live on the Central Plateau of Mexico from Jalisco and Zacatecas across to Guanajuato and Hidalgo.

Catching a photo of a small passerine in flight is a tricky proposition. Often it is unpredictable when they will launch, and what trajectory they will take. Flycatchers, such as the Say’s Phoebe, sometimes give clues I have been able to exploit and overcome this obstacle. These birds will find a favorite perch and make repeated flights to snag some unfortunate winged prey. Usually, they fly back to the same place from where they launched. Knowing this behaviour, I can better predict a launch or a landing and capture an image of the airborne bird.

Say’s Phoebes live in my San Diego County neighborhood all year. But I have met them over much of California’s Mojave Deserts. When I visit Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, New Mexico’s Rio Grande Valley, and Utah’s Zion National Park I often see them. In 2022, while on a 16,000 mile expedition that included northwestern Canada, I met one of these birds in the Yukon Territory. More recently, during my 2023 North American expedition, I enjoyed sunrise meetings with these birds in Texas’ Davis Mountains.

55 Photos

Say's Phoebe - Sayornis saya — **Say's Phoebe**
*(Sayornis saya)*

**Description:**
Ramona Grasslands Preserve. Ramona, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2014:02:22 11:06

**Location:**

Ramona Grassland Preserve
Ramona, California
United States
1394.43 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000

**File Name:** D3X2876-SaysPhoebe

© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging

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Pin It — **Say's Phoebe**
*(Sayornis saya)*

**Description:**
Ramona Grasslands Preserve. Ramona, California. San Diego County.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2014:02:22 11:06

**Location:**

Ramona Grassland Preserve
Ramona, California
United States
1394.43 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000

**File Name:** D3X2876-SaysPhoebe

© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging

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