From sunset picnics at Sycamore Highlands to legendary Zambian rock at the Farmhouse, community leaders reveal their favorite ways to make the most of long summer days in the City of Arts & Innovation.
Why the Black Phoebe Is Riverside’s Perfect Signature Bird
Amid the summer lull of browns and grays, the tuxedoed Black Phoebe stands out—active, distinctive and ever-present—embodying Riverside’s resilience and charm year‑round.
The doldrums of birding in Riverside run from July through mid‑September. While the first fall migrants begin appearing along the coast, at the wetlands of the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge, or on the shores of Lake Elsinore, things tend to be sleepy within city limits during those hot months. Local birds are molting, tucked away in the shade during the heat of the day. Inland terrestrial migrants don’t show up until the fall—and even then, they arrive slowly. It’s not until late September that we begin to see the first of our winter birds.
The species that persist and show themselves in the three-digit heat are largely brown and gray: Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, House Sparrow, California Towhee, Eurasian Collared Dove. Even the more obvious birds—crows and ravens—come cloaked in somber black. They match the mood of the season. But one bird shatters the stillness and stands out.
The Black Phoebe (*Sayornis nigricans—“Say’s blackish bird”) is handsome, dapper, and anything but subdued. Although it lives here year-round, it becomes especially noticeable in summer when its quieter peers retreat from view. With striking black and white plumage—black head, breast, and upperparts contrasted by a clean white belly and undertail—it looks perpetually dressed for a formal event. A sharply defined inverted V across the breast forms the look of a tuxedo vest, and its black legs and feet complete the ensemble. There’s nothing subtle about this bird.
Once you know what to look for, the Black Phoebe becomes unmistakable. You’ll spot it perched confidently on low branch tips, eaves, fence posts, or even lawn furniture—rarely more than a dozen feet above the ground—scanning for flying insects. It swoops out, snatches its prey mid-air, and returns to the same perch. This hunting method, called “flycatching,” is characteristic of the Tyrant Flycatcher family, the most diverse bird family in the world with more than 400 species.
Beyond its style and method, the Black Phoebe has a few endearing habits. It often wags or fans its tail after landing, and its song carries a bright and quirky rhythm—typically “pee-URR, pee-EE,” with the second syllable descending and the fourth ascending. Sometimes, it switches it up: “pee-EE, pee-URR.” It’s not just visually distinctive, but audibly so as well.
Importantly, the Black Phoebe isn’t so abundant that it fades into the background, nor is it so rare that it requires a chase. Depending on which field guide you consult, it’s considered “common” to “uncommon.” Think of them as scattered across Riverside like dark chocolate chips in a cookie—more concentrated in some areas, a pleasant surprise in others. Water is the key to finding them. You’ll see them near the ponds at Fairmount Park, along the Santa Ana River wetlands, and anywhere with canals, bird baths, lawn sprinklers, fountains, or swimming pools. These features attract insects and provide the mud Black Phoebes use to line their nests.
Their range stretches from the Oregon–Washington border south through Central America and all the way to Argentina, but in the United States they’re mostly found in the Southwest and parts of central Texas. From my own experience, the places where I encounter them most reliably are Riverside and the western half of Riverside County.
When birders wrap up a day in the field, there’s always talk of the “Bird of the Day”—usually the rarest or most surprising sighting. But another kind of bird always emerges in those conversations: the “Signature Bird.” It’s not necessarily the most unusual bird, but the one that seemed to define the experience of the day. I remember birding with a guide in Surrey who declared the elusive Stonechat our Bird of the Day. I agreed, but I told him the Green Woodpecker had been the Signature Bird for me—it showed up again and again in delightful ways.
By that same logic, I propose the Black Phoebe as Riverside’s Signature Bird. It’s everything we aspire to be: good-looking, hard-working, distinctive, optimistic, and always present. You’ll find it on the hottest summer days and in the quiet chill of winter. It never vanishes, and it never fades.
When it comes to the bird that best represents Riverside, the answer is black and white.
*Sayornis was named in honor of American naturalist Thomas Say.
Norm Ellstrand is an emeritus Distinguished Professor of Genetics and former Director of the California Agriculture and Food Enterprise at the University of California Riverside.
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