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Phainopepla

Phainopepla nitens

Photo by JudyCrawford
Published on Project Noah
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33.6037, -114.217

Field Notes

Description:

Medium-sized songbird.
Tall, wispy crest.
Slender, with long tail.
Male shiny black.
Female all gray.

Habitat:

Desert, riparian woodlands, and chaparral

Notes:

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says this bird rarely drinks water, but as you can see he is at my "watering hole" for a drink of water.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
JudyCrawford
No, they don't have a common name. The word Phainopepla comes from the Greek for "shining robe". It is a very pretty shiney black when the sun is on it.
CindyBinghamKeiser
I hope to see one someday. Anza-Borrego is on our vaca list for the spring!
Ava T-B
No common name that I know of. A pair lived in my brother's old back yard near SDSU years ago, but I haven't seen them in the city since then. I've seen them out at Anza-Borrego State Park though. They have a sweet voice.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
BioBlitz: Saguaro National Park
Photographed
PublishedOctober 16, 2011

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