The Status and Occurrence of Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) in British Columbia. By Rick Toochin. Revised: January 18, 2025.

The Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is a small passerine belonging to the tyrant-flycatcher family. The Black Phoebe occurs as a year-round resident throughout most of its range; however, its northern populations are partially migratory (Wahl et al. 2005). It is a species found throughout the year from southwestern Oregon south, through California including the Baja Peninsula (excluding the central regions of the Peninsula), east through Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, west Texas, south through Mexico, Central America to Panama (excluding El Salvador) and in South America from the coastal mountains of Venezuela, through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, to western Bolivia and northwestern Argentina (Sibley 2000, Howell and Webb 2010, Hoyo et al. 2006). In the past couple of decades, the Black Phoebe has been slowly expanding its known range northward into northern Oregon and southern Washington where it is still considered a very rare visitor, but with records increasing every year (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2012). The Black Phoebe has been recorded from Idaho, Nevada, Utah, southern Oklahoma, and Florida (Sibley 2000). The Black Phoebe is an accidental visitor to south-central Alaska (Gibson et al. 2013). In British Columbia this species is considered a casual visitor but Provincial records, like those of Washington State, are on the rise and the status of this species in British Columbia could change in the near future. 

The Black Phoebe has a huge range that encompasses two continents. As a result of such an extensive range, the Black Phoebe has six commonly recognized subspecies (Hoyo et al. 2006). There are two subspecies of Black Phoebe that are found in South America. These two subspecies are called (S. n. angustirostris and S. n. latirostris) and are considered by some authorities to create a separate species called the “White-winged Phoebe” (Hoyo et al. 2006). In North America, the only subspecies of Black Phoebe that occurs is (S. n. semiatra) which is the subspecies that has occurred in British Columbia (Campbell 1997, Wahl et al. 2005). One important fact about the Black Phoebe is its preference for feeding near water (Blair 1997). This can either be a pond, river, lake, stream, or slough, but this species usually will sit on a snag, perch, or rock that is near or over water to catch insects (Blair 1997). The identification of Black Phoebe is covered in all standard North American field guides. Adult Black Phoebes are easily identified by the black plumage that covers the bird from the head, breast, and tail (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The eyes are also black as is the small bill (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The mantle, rump and wings are a slate coloured gray with light edges on the wing and tertial feathers (Sibley 2000). The lower belly through to the undertail feathers is white (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The underside of the tail is black but has white outer tail feathers (Sibley 2000). The legs are black (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The juvenile plumage is held very briefly during the months of April through September and is similar looking to adult plumage, but these birds have two brown wing bars and brown edges to the lower back and rump feathers (Sibley 2000). Black Phoebes constantly pump their tails up and down while perched (Sibley 2000). The song of the Black Phoebe consists of high thin whistled notes usually given as double phrases that sound like “sisee–sitsew”, “sisee-sitsew” (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). This species can also give a high tin whistle “tseew” that is heard year-round (Sibley 2000). The common call note is a high clear whistled “chip” that often can be repeated several times (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). This species is visually different to Eastern Phoebe and Say’s Phoebe and should not pose any identification issues for observers. Hybrids between Black Phoebe and Eastern Phoebe have been recorded in the Colorado and New Mexico but appear to be extremely rare (Pieplow et al. 2008). 

 

The first record of a Black Phoebe in British Columbia was collected in south Vancouver by R. A. Cumming on November 11, 1936 (Cowan 1939, Munro and Cowan 1947). It took forty-four years for the next record to be found on April 26-27, 1980, at Stanley Park in Vancouver (Weber et al. 1981). There was only one record in the 1990s for British Columbia, and this was of an immature bird found at Iona Island in Richmond on July 10-11, 1997 (Bowling 1997, Davidson 1999, Plath 2000). The number of Black Phoebe records suddenly exploded in British Columbia in the late 2000’s (Please see Table 1). This species has been reported almost every other year, since 2006, with multiple records during a couple of years, and now there are fifty Provincial records and counting (Please see Table 1). This recent wave of records has also coincided with an eruption of records in northern Oregon and Washington (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2012). This likely reflects a northern expansion of the bird’s range slowly north as the Black Phoebe in Washington, like British Columbia, was an extremely infrequent visitor prior to the year 2000 with there being only three Washington State records at that time (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2012). Like British Columbia, Washington has seen a dramatic increase in reports with twelve accepted records (and counting) since the year 2000 (Wahl et al. 2005, WBRC 2012). It is likely only a matter of time before this species is found breeding in northern coastal Washington and possibly in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia in the future. The bulk of Provincial records come from the Vancouver area where there are nineteen records and counting as this species is becoming more annual each year in small numbers (Please see Table 1). The other region with many records is the Fraser Valley region (including a record where a bird was seen gathering nesting material) with ten (Please see Table 1). This species is also increasing in on Vancouver Island where there are now eleven records and counting (Toochin et al. 2013c, Please see Table 1). The Black Phoebe has been recorded once in Nelson, and Anahim Lake, and twice in the Okanagan (Toochin et al. 2013c, Please see Table 1).  Given the explosion of records in the past decade this species should be watched for everywhere in the southern half of the province (Toochin et al. 2013c, Please see Table 1). The bulk of the records for British Columbia are divided between the spring and the summer months. Most records are from the month of April which are likely spring overshoots, but as this species is rapidly expanding northward it could also represent birds looking for suitable breeding habitat. The other bulk of records come from the months of July and particularly August, with records continuing throughout the the fall migration period (Toochin et al. 2013c, Please see Table 1 & 2). It is hard to know if birds in the fall represent post breeding dispersal of birds heading north or birds that headed further north and were discovered on their journey south. The increased number of juveniles found along the south coast in the later half of July and August may represent breeding somewhere in the south coast region. What is clear is that the Black Phoebe can occur in British Columbia at any time of the year (Toochin et al. 2013c, Please see Table 1). There are now a few winter records from both the Upper Fraser Valley and southern Vancouver Island proving that observers should keep an eye open for this species at any time of year and especially if they are in the right habitat. 

1.(1) adult November 11, 1936: R.A. Cumming (specimen: BCPM 6914) Vancouver (Cowan 1939, Munro and Cowan 1947)

2.(1) adult April 26-27, 1980: Brian M. Kautesk, mobs (BC Photo 658) Stanley Park, Vancouver (Weber et al. 1981, Campbell et al. 1997))

3.(1) immature July 10-11, 1997: D. Mike Price, mobs (video-taped) Iona Island Sewage Ponds, Richmond (Bowling 1997, Davidson 1999, Plath 2000)

4.(1) adult April 28, 2006: Stan Olson, mobs (photo) Trinity Western University, Langley (Cecile 2006, Toochin 2013a)

5.(1) adult July 4, 2006: Doug Brown: 7003 Nighthawk Road, Osoyoos (Cecile 2006, Toochin et al. 2013c)

6.(1) immature September 7- October 17, 2009: Raymond Ng, mobs (photo) Terra Nova, Richmond (Charleswort 2010, Toochin 2013a)

   (1) immature October 21-23, 2009: Nathan Hentze, mobs (photo) Steveston Dyke, Richmond (Charleswort 2010, Toochin 2013a)

   (1) immature October 26, 2009: Thor Manson, mobs (photo) Terra Nova, Richmond (Charleswort 2010, Toochin 2013a)

7.(1) adult April 27-28, 2011: Rick Wright, Brian Stetch, mobs (photo) Jericho Park, Vancouver (Charlesworth 2011a, Toochin 2013a)

8.(1) adult May 8-9, 2011: Neil Hughes, mobs (photo) Everett Crowley Park, Vancouver (Charlesworth 2011a, Toochin 2013a)

9.(1) adult June 27, 2011: Kerry Finley, and other observers (photo) on the beach at the end of 3rd St. off beacon in Sidney (Charlesworth 2011b, Toochin et al. 2013d)

10.(1) adult June 29, 2011: fide Daniel Bryant:  Mystic Pond, Victoria (Toochin et al. 2013d) 

11.(1) adult July 16, 2011: Wayne Diakow, mobs: West end of Westminster Highway in Community Garden, Richmond (Charlesworth 2011b, Toochin 2013a)

12.(1) immature August 8, 2011: Rick Toochin: Camp River Road near Jespersen Road, Chilliwack (Toochin 2013b)

13.(1) immature November 8, 2011: Gord Gadsden, mobs (photo) Island 22 Regional Park, Chilliwack (Toochin 2013b, Toochin et al. 2013c)

14.(1) immature November 9, 2012: Danny Tyson: Deas Island Regional Park, Delta (Toochin 2013a)

15.(1) adult April 24, 2013: Adrian Dorst, Karen Ferguson: Comber’s Beach, PRNP (Toochin et al. 2013d)

16.(1) adult April 28, 2013: Rick Toochin (photo) Hougen Park, East Abbotsford (Toochin 2013b)

17. (1) adult December 14-15, 2013: Dave Beeke, mobs (photo) Kitchen Hall Road, Chilliwack (D. Beeke Pers. Comm.)

18.(1) adult April 10-11, 2014: E. & B. Brittan: Millstream Subdivision, Ucluelet (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

19.(1) adult June 3, 2014: Mary Robichaud: Lochside Trail, north of Blienkensop Lake (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

20.(1) adult April 8-15, 2017: Jeremy Gatten, mobs (photo) Maber Flats, near Brentwood Bay (L. Haviland Pers. Comm.)

21.(1) immature July 25-28, 2017: Doug Martin, mobs (photo) Iona Island Sewage Ponds, Richmond (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

22.(1) immature August 4, 2017: Rodger Titman, mobs: 328 Eastside Rd., Okanagan Falls (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

23.(1) adult April 20-21, 2018: John Reynolds, mobs (photo) Colony Farm, Coquitlum (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

24.(1) adult [carrying nesting material] June 11-July 15, 2018: Kevin Cherry, mobs (photo) Great Blue Heron Reserve, Chilliwack (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

25.(1) adult May 30, 2019: Steve Juhasz: near Anahim Lake (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

26.(1) immature July 9-10, 2019: Hank Tseng, mobs (photo) Colony Farm, Coquitlum (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

27.(1) immature August 5, 2019 – January 11, 2020: Tristan Jobin, mobs (photo) Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Ladner (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

28.(1) adult April 26-28, 2020: Barbara and Neville Mayton, mobs (photo) Cottonwood Creek, Nelson (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

29.(1) adult May 14-15, 2020: Michael Force, mobs (photo) north side of Carney Pond, Kelowna (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

30.(1) immature August 29-October 19, 2020: Liz Stewart, mobs (photo) 64th Street, Boundary Bay, Delta (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

31.(1) adult September 28- December 11, 2020: Donna Ross, mobs (photo) Maber Flats, Brentwood Bay (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

32.(1) immature October 14, 2020: Tom Plath, mobs (photo) Brunswick Point (T. Plath Pers. Comm.)

33.(1) adult December 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021: Mike McGrenere, mobs (photo) Welch Rd., and Livesay Rd., Saanich (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

34.(1) immature August 7-10, 2021: Marc Sole, Catherine Denny, mobs (photo) Cheam Lake Wetlands Regional Park, Rosedale (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

35.(1) immature September 10-24, 2021: Susan Fennellow, mobs (photo) McDonald Park, Sumas Prairie, Abbotsford (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)

36.(1) immature July 24, 2022: fide GG (photo) Cheam Wetlands Regional Park, Rosedale (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

37.(1) immature July 29, 2022: Craig Huish (photo) South Jetty, Iona Island Regional Park, Richmond (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

38.(1) adult December 17-18, 2022: Benjamin Pap, mobs (photo) Jess Road near Carey Road, Chilliwack (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

39.(1) immature August 1, 2023: David Bell, Mara Hanneson, Evan Lewis and James Kennerley (photo) Witty’s Lagoon, Metchosin (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

40.(1) immature August 4, 2023: Rick Toochin (photo) 272nd and 60th Ave, Langley (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)

41.(1) immature August 8-October 8, 2023: Isamu Marusaki, mobs (photo) foot of 112th St., Boundary Bay (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
42.(1) adult August 11-September 18, 2023: Ken Willis, mobs (photo) Blaney Bog, Pitt Meadows (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
43.(1) immature August 11, 2023:  Geoff Newhouse (photo) Royal Roads University, Colwood (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
44.(1) immature August 15, 2023: Geoffrey Newell (photo) Uplands Park, Victoria (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

45.(1) immature August 31-September 27, 2023: Gord Gadsden,mobs (photo) west end of Cutler Road, Agassiz (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
46.(1) adult September 15-December 7, 2023: Alison Evely, mobs (photo) Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.) 
47.(1) adult April 3-5, 2024: Cos van Wermeskerken, mobs (photo) Brydon Lagoon, Langley (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.) 
48.(1) adult June 24, 2024: Gord Smith (photo) Lost Lagoon, Stanley Park, Vancouver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
49.(1) immature August 19-20, 2024: John Hodges, mobs (photo) Wilson Creek Estuary (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
50.(1) adult October 2-17, 2024: Jean Bergen, mobs (photo) Lamson Road Dyke, Sumas Prairie (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
51.(1) adult October 14, 2024-Janaury 12, 2025: Alex Leeder and Destiny Grieg, mobs (photo) Hastings Park Sanctuary, Vancouver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
52.(1) adult November 26, 2024: Ben Ivany (photo) on Second Beach at San Josef Bay, Cape Scott (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
53.(1) adult January 9 & 14-17, 2025: James Linde, mobs (photo) Jackman Wetlands, Langley (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

Hypothetical Records:

1.(1) adult May 28, 1978: Lewis & Doreen Jones: near UBC Botanical Garden, Vancouver (Anonymous 1978, Weber et al. 1981)

2.(1) adult June 1, 1994: RWP: Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver (Toochin 2013a)

3.(1) adult March 8, 2013: Pete Dunter: foot of 64th Street, Boundary Bay, Delta (Toochin 2013a)

I want to thank Barbara McKee for editing the article. I also wish to thank Neil Hughes, Dave Beeke and Jean Bergen for use of their Black Phoebe pictures. All photos are used with permission of the photographer and are fully protected by copyright law. Photographs are not to be reproduced, published or retransmitted on any website without the authorization of the photographer.

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