Today’s animal of the day is the small whimsical bird, Eastern Phoebe, a bird native to North America. It can easily be identified by its large head in comparison to its body. The difference in size is more pronounced when the bird puffs up its small crest.

A Brief Anatomical Description

• Length: An eastern Phoebe typically grows to be about 6.7 inches in length.
• Wingspan: The birds’ wings can average 11.0 inches.
• Weight: Different genders likely have different weights, but scientists estimate that an adult Eastern Phoebe can weigh an average of 0.7 pounds.
• Eastern Phoebe’s plumage is usually gray-brown. Their breasts are usually a dirty gray, and their underparts change to white during mating season.

Fun Facts

• The scientific name for the Eastern Phoebe is Sayornis Phoebe.
• Scientists speculate that Eastern Phoebe’s population increased due to more buildings and bridges being built. This fact is attributed to these birds nesting around buildings and bridges.
• Eastern Phoebes are the surest sign that spring is near because they are the first birds to migrate.
• You can identify an Eastern Phoebe by its fee-bee melody and its habitual gentle tail-wagging
• Eastern Phoebes can live for ten years.
• The Sayornis Phoebe is of the Genus Sayornis and the Family Tyrannidae.
• Eastern Phoebes can also be distinguished by their dark bills, dark eyes with no eye-ring, and indistinct wing bars on each wing.
• This bird species spends its winters in the Southernmost parts of the United States and Central America and migrates north when the weather is fair.