Nevada · Year-round resident

Black Phoebes in Nevada

When black phoebes are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Black PhoebeSayornis nigricans

Status in Nevada: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–10a

When to expect black phoebes in Nevada

Black Phoebes live in Nevada all year. Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insects.

Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.

Nesting in Nevada

Across Nevada, black phoebes typically nest from March–June. Nest site: mud cup on a wall or bridge near water. Females lay 3–6 eggs, incubate for 15–17 days, and young leave the nest after 18–21 days.

Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.

Black Phoebes don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine, gambel oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Nevada plants that attract black phoebes

Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 7 provide food or cover black phoebes use:

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa · Shrub

Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

Willow (Bebb)

Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Feeding black phoebes through the Nevada year

Always near water; builds mud nests under bridges and eaves.

Best foods: .
In Nevada's winter: Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south.

Full diet breakdown for black phoebes · Best feeder for black phoebes

Frequently asked

Are black phoebes in Nevada year-round?

Yes. Black Phoebes are year-round residents in Nevada.

When do black phoebes nest in Nevada?

Nesting in Nevada typically runs March–June, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 3–6 eggs, incubated for 15–17 days.

What native plants attract black phoebes in Nevada?

Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Rabbitbrush, Douglas fir, Willow (Bebb) are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for black phoebes.

Black Phoebes in other regions

Arizona California New Mexico Oregon Texas

Other backyard birds in Nevada

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Gambel's Quail California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Verdin Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.