The genus Sayornis is a small group of medium-sized insect-eating birds, known as phoebes, in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae.
Phoebes | |
---|---|
Sayornis phoebe | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Tyrannidae |
Genus: | Sayornis Bonaparte, 1854 |
Type species | |
Sayornis nigricans[1] Bonaparte, 1854
| |
Species | |
See text. |
The genus Sayornis that was introduced by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1854 with black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) as the type species.[2][3] The genus name is constructed from the specific part of Bonaparte's name for Say's phoebe, Muscicapa saya, and Ancient Greek ornis meaning "bird".[4] The English Phoebe is a name for the Roman moon-goddess Diana.[5]
They are native to North and South America.
They prefer semi-open or open areas near water. These birds wait on a perch and then catch insects, usually in pairs. Their nest is an open cup sometimes placed on man-made structures.[6] They aren't fond of dense forests, and prefer low perches.[7][8]
They often slowly lower and raise their tails while perched.[9][10][11][12]
The genus contains three species:[13]
Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
---|---|---|---|
Sayornis phoebe | Eastern phoebe | Eastern North America | |
Sayornis nigricans | Black phoebe | United States, Mexico and Central America, and parts of South America | |
Sayornis saya | Say's phoebe | United States and Canada |