Phainopepla
Phainopepla nitens
Unique bird of scrubby oak and mesquite habitats with a sleek body, shaggy crest, long tail, and staring red eyes. Males are shiny black with a bluish sheen; white wing patches visible in flight. Females and juveniles are ashy-gray. Often in small groups; forages mainly on berries (especially mistletoe).
Identification
The phainopepla is a striking bird, 16–20 cm (6.3–7.9 in) long with a noticeable crest and a long tail; it is slender, and has an upright posture when it perches. Its bill is short and slender. The male is glossy black, and has a white wing patch that is visible when it flies; the female is plain gray and has a lighter gray wing patch. Both sexes have red eyes, but these are more noticeable in the female than the male.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Phainopepla nitens
- Authority
- (Swainson, 1838)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Ptiliogonatidae
- Genus
- Phainopepla
Range and habitat
The phainopepla ranges as far north as central California with the San Joaquin Valley and southern Utah, and south to central Mexico, the interior Mexican Plateau region; the southern edge of the plateau, the transverse mountains is its non-breeding home. It is found in hot areas, including desert oases, and is readily seen in the deserts of Arizona, southern Nevada, and southern California; also the Baja Peninsula, both Baja California-(north), and Baja California Sur where they are the only breeding resident birds.[citation needed] Extreme individuals have travelled as far as Canada, with one bird in 2009 reaching as far north as Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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