Say's Phoebes are charming and often approachable flycatchers commonly found in open, often dry, country throughout Oregon. Similar to other flycatcher species, male and female Say's Phoebes are virtually identical in plumage and size, making them very difficult to tell apart in the field based on visual cues alone.

General Characteristics (Both Sexes)
Size: A medium-sized flycatcher, larger than a chickadee but smaller than an American Robin, typically 6.7-7.9 inches (17-20 cm) long.
Overall Coloration: They have a distinctive, sober coloration.
Upperparts: The head, back, and wings are a rather uniform grayish-brown.
Breast: The upper breast is also grayish-brown, smoothly blending into the upperparts. There's no distinct "vest" pattern like on some other flycatchers.
Belly and Undertail Coverts: This is their most distinctive splash of color: the lower belly and undertail coverts (feathers under the tail) are a striking cinnamon or rusty-orange.
Tail: The tail is blackish and relatively long.
Bill & Legs: The bill, feet, and legs are all black.
Facial Features: They have a relatively plain face, lacking prominent eye-rings or strong malar (mustache) stripes.
Behavior: Like other phoebes, they frequently wag or pump their tail up and down when perched, though perhaps not as constantly as the Black Phoebe. They are often seen perched upright on low, exposed vantage points like fence posts, shrubs, rocks, or buildings, from which they sally out to catch flying insects. They sometimes hover briefly while foraging.
Vocalization: Their song is a soft, plaintive, often descending whistle, sometimes described as "pee-tsee-eer" or "phee-ur." They also have a common "pit-tse-ar" call and a chattering call, particularly during interactions.

Male Say's Phoebe in Oregon
Plumage: Visually indistinguishable from the female. There are no reliable differences in color, pattern, or markings.
Size: Males are generally similar in size to females, with no discernible difference in the field.
Singing: Males are the primary singers, using their song to establish and defend their breeding territory and attract a mate. They often sing from exposed perches or even in a fluttering flight display.

Female Say's Phoebe in Oregon
Plumage: Visually indistinguishable from the male.
Size: Females are generally similar in size to males.
Nesting: Females build the nest, which is typically a cup made of grass, weeds, and sometimes mud, often lined with softer materials like hair or feathers. They are known for nesting in sheltered, often human-made locations like under eaves of buildings, in sheds, under bridges, in abandoned mineshafts, or on cliff ledges. She primarily incubates the eggs, and both parents feed the young.

Habitat in Oregon
Say's Phoebes are common summer residents across much of Oregon, especially in open, dry, and often semi-arid habitats:
Sagebrush flats
Grasslands and prairies
Deserts
Agricultural areas
Open woodlands (especially Juniper and Pinyon-Juniper)
Areas with rocky outcrops and cliffs
Urban and suburban areas, where they often utilize buildings and other structures for nesting and perching.