A cause of mortality for aerial insectivores?(Short Communications)

Publication: Wilson Bulletin

Publication Date: 01-JUN-05

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COPYRIGHT 2005 Wilson Ornithological Society

The Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is a suboscine flycatcher (Tyrannidae) that breeds throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. It is one of the earliest migrants to return in the spring (Weeks 1994). Eastern Phoebes are primarily aerial insectivores, but they also glean insects from a variety of substrates (Via 1979). They feed primarily in edge habitats (Weeks 1994), including along stream banks where they fly out over the water to capture prey. Flying insects compose the majority of the Eastern Phoebe's diet (Weeks 1994). During hatches of insects from streams, individuals often forage low over the water by hawking (MDE pers. obs.). Eastern Phoebes also have been observed catching fish, sometimes hovering over the water for several seconds be[k)re taking the prey (Binford 1957).

On 15 April 2004, a male Eastern Phoebe (sex was subsequently determined by inspection of gonads) was found dead, hanging approximately 0.5 m below a tree branch that was 2 m above a small river (Fig. 1). We found...

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