Arizona · Year-round resident

Say's Phoebes in Arizona

When Say's phoebes are present in Arizona, when they nest, which native Arizona plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4b–10b yard.

Tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)Say's PhoebeSayornis saya

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

When to expect Say's phoebes in Arizona

Say's Phoebes live in Arizona all year. Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insects in the southern deserts.

Hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the south and west, with pine-oak sky islands and the Colorado Plateau rising above 7,000 ft.

Nesting in Arizona

Across Arizona, Say's phoebes typically nest from March–June. Nest site: cup on a sheltered ledge. Females lay 3–7 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 14–16 days.

Summer highs above 110°F in Phoenix and Tucson make water the single strongest attractant; the July monsoon triggers a second breeding pulse.

Say's Phoebes don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as black cherry, american elderberry, chokecherry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Arizona plants that attract Say's phoebes

Of the regional native plants we track for Arizona, these 8 provide food or cover Say's phoebes use:

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

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.

Palo verde

Parkinsonia florida · Tree

Seed pods and insect-rich spring bloom.

Feeding Say's phoebes through the Arizona year

Nests on ledges under eaves in dry open country; an early spring arrival.

Best foods: .
In Arizona's winter: Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.

Full diet breakdown for Say's phoebes

Frequently asked

Are Say's phoebes in Arizona year-round?

Yes. Say's Phoebes are year-round residents in Arizona.

When do Say's phoebes nest in Arizona?

Nesting in Arizona typically runs March–June, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 3–7 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.

What native plants attract Say's phoebes in Arizona?

Black cherry, American elderberry, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Rabbitbrush, Palo verde are native plants in Arizona that provide food or cover for Say's phoebes.

Say's Phoebes in other regions

Alaska Alberta British Columbia California Colorado Idaho Kansas Montana Nebraska Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon Saskatchewan South Dakota Texas Utah Washington Wyoming Yukon

Other backyard birds in Arizona

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Purple Martin 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 Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 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 Canyon Towhee Gambel's Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Black Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Curve-billed Thrasher Verdin Pyrrhuloxia Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove Inca 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.