Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
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Phainopepla

Phainopepla nitens (Swainson, 1838)

22 gWeight

The phainopepla or northern phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) is the most northerly representative of the mainly tropical Central American family Ptiliogonatidae, the silky flycatchers.

Busiest months: April–May · Most records: United States, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Phainopepla has been recorded at 104 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Big Morongo Canyon Preserve & Covington ParkUnited States8,044 records
  2. Paton Center for HummingbirdsUnited States7,511 records
  3. Desert NWR – Corn CreekUnited States7,411 records
More places
  1. Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States6,440 records
  2. Anza Trail – TubacUnited States5,973 records
  3. Agua Caliente ParkUnited States5,553 records
  4. Sabino Dam and downstream riparianUnited States5,384 records
  5. Boyce Thompson ArboretumUnited States4,876 records
  6. Catalina SPUnited States4,606 records
  7. Hassayampa River PreserveUnited States4,030 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesMexico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The phainopepla or northern phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) is the most northerly representative of the mainly tropical Central American family Ptiliogonatidae, the silky flycatchers. Its name is from the Greek phain pepla meaning "shining robe" in reference to the male's plumage.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Phainopepla?

The Phainopepla weighs around 22 g.

Where does the Phainopepla live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: southwestern USA to north-central, northwestern Mexico. It is most often recorded in United States and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Phainopepla?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April and May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Phainopepla endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Phainopepla as Least Concern.

What does the Phainopepla eat?

Main food: Fruit.

What family is the Phainopepla in?

It belongs to the family Silky-flycatchers (Ptiliogonatidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
22 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Fruit
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
93 mm
Tail
93 mm
Bill
13 mm
Tarsus
21 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America: southwestern USA to north-central, northwestern Mexico

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Silky-flycatchers Ptiliogonatidae
Genus
Phainopepla

More from the family Silky-flycatchers

Black-and-yellow PhainoptilaBlack-and-yellow PhainoptilaPhainoptila melanoxanthaGrey Silky-flycatcherGrey Silky-flycatcherPtiliogonys cinereusLong-tailed Silky-flycatcherLong-tailed Silky-flycatcherPtiliogonys caudatus
Phainopepla

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Lee Hoy. ↗

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