Phoebe (Black)

A small black-and-white flycatcher of the Southwest, the Black Phoebe is often found around people, but nearly always near water

Although primarily insectivorous, the Black Phoebe occasionally catches fish. It dives into ponds to catch small minnows or other tiny fish, and may even feed fish to nestlings.

The male Black Phoebe shows the female potential nest sites, hovering in front of a likely spot for 5 to 10 seconds. The female makes the final decision about where to place the nest and does all the construction.

Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA