Why No Phoebes?

[Bruce Boyer]

Ever since I’ve lived here (about 17 years), Phoebes have nested somewhere on my house, and I have heard other Phoebes calling in the neighborhood. This year, I thought I saw one, but since then, there have been no signs of Phoebes.

I suspect that hawks ate them. Sitting out in the open on a branch, the way they do, would seem to make Phoebes easy targets.

Bruce Boyer
Jaffrey

[Pam Hunt]

Bruce raises an interesting question. I feel like there are fewer phoebes than there "should" be in my new digs in South Concord, and attribute it to the weather this past winter. It was colder than usual, including a couple of major chilling events, in the southern US where phoebes winter, and this likely affected food supplies and/or survival. Other "half-hardy" species like Winter Wren and Hermit Thrush are known to show population dips on the breeding grounds in years following southern cold snaps, and I was predicting fewer wrens this spring as a result. But wrens are secretive little critters while phoebes are pervasive, and thus more likely to be noticed in absentia.

Might not be the whole story, and there's certainly going to be spatial variation in where declines are observed, but its as good a working hypothesis as any.

Pam Hunt

Concord, NH

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[Brian R]

Just adding to the conversation.  Single Phoebe here in Keene for a few days about 2 weeks ago.  Have not seen since.

Brian

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[raqb...@aol.com]

Slightly different situation here in Webster. 

A pair of Phoebes returned and eventually built a nest. During April 30-May 4 I was on the road during which time they abandoned the nest, without laying eggs.

Furthermore, I was in the Florida panhandle for a week in late February where Phoebes spend the winter and they seemed less numerous than I expected. I surmised that they had already migrated north but now I am thinking that Pam and Sue are both correct and it is a combination of factors.

Robert A. Quinn

Merlin Wildlife Tours 

Webster, NH

"Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons and daughters of the earth." Chief Seattle

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[Carol]

I’m glad to report we have our usual pair of Phoebes beginning to nest in their usual eave corner.  

We also had a large influx of Blue Jays that dropped in yesterday afternoon before the rain.  They stayed nearby overnight and were back at the feeders this am.

Carol McCluskey 

Gilmanton 

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[barry whittemore]

We have several up here in Unity. 1 pair nesting in our shed.

1 nested in our carport last year. 

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From: 'Bruce Boyer' via NHBirds <nhb...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 9:24 AM
To: 'raqb...@aol.com' via NHBirds <nhb...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [NHBirds] Why No Phoebes?

 

[Anne H.]

We have a phoebe nest under the carport.  They were nesting when one day they disappeared. I found four broken eggs on the ground. I presume the nest was attacked by a bird (starling?) because it is not reachable by a mammal. I have heard one phoebe singing in the yard since, but they have abandoned the nest.