Phoebe Platform
by Duncraft
Eastern
Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Robin
Blue Jay
Mourning Dove
House Finch
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Song Sparrow |
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Sayornis
Species: Saya
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form,
kind, species
Gr. turannos tyrant
La. tyrannus tyrant,
despot, king
La. Sayorins for zoologist
Thomas
Say
About 8 inches long. Brownish-gray, sometimes olivaceous tinge upperparts,
darker on the head. |
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| Grayish throat and breast, cinnamon belly.
Wings dusky, lined with tawny-whitish, edged with white on coverts. Exhibits typical
phoebe up and down tail motion. Inhabits the foothills, rocky
canyons and open country of Western North America in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains
from Saskatchewan to central Texas over to California up through British Columbia, the
Yukon, to Alaska. It is of accidental occurrence east of the Mississippi. It's been
reported in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
Builds nests of sticks, grass, moss, hair and spider webs in tree
hollows, caves, rock crevices, in farm out buildings and on ledges under home porches. |
Catches insects in flight.Lays 3-7 white eggs, which hatch
after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks. |
Young Phoebes, Bird Homes, A.R. Dugmore, 1904
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| The Phoebe Platform has approximately a 6" by 6" base,
approximately a 6" ceiling, an open front and partially open sides. |
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Mount platform on the side of a garage,
shed or porch under open shelter or an eave over looking both open spaces and foliage in
your back yard from seven to twelve feet high. Carefully select a location that provides a
balance of protection from predators and elements, access, and visibility. |
| Do not mount in a tree. Make
sure objects that cats and squirrels can climb do not provide access to the nest. The idea
is to simulate a cliff edge. They like to survey a wide berth from their roost. They also
like bird baths Robins, Barn Swallows, Black Phoebes,
Eastern Phoebes and Song
Sparrows may use this platform.
See platforms discussion.
William Leon
Dawson, Birds of Washington, 1909
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