Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 7.1–8.3 in
18–21 cm - Wingspan
- 11.4 in
29 cm - Weight
- 0.6–1 oz
18–28 g
Other Names
- Phénopèple luisant (French)
- Jilguero negro, Capulinero negro (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Phainopepla, when pursued by predators or handled by humans, mimics the calls of other birds; imitations of at least 13 species have been recorded.
- An individual Phainopepla eats at least 1,100 mistletoe berries per day, when they are available.
- The name "Phainopepla" (pronounced fay-no-PEP-la) comes from the Greek for "shining robe," a fitting characterization of the shiny, jet-black plumage of the adult male.
- The Phainopepla exhibits strikingly different behaviors in its two habitats. In the desert, it is territorial, actively defending nesting and foraging sites, while in the woodlands it is colonial, with as many as four nesting pairs sharing one large tree.
- The Phainopepla rarely drinks water, even though research indicates that it loses about 95 percent of its body mass in water per day. Instead, it gets the water it needs from its diet of mistletoe.
Habitat
Scrub
Desert, riparian woodlands, and chaparral.
Food
Fruit
Mistletoe berries, other berries, and flying insects.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 2–4 eggs
- Egg Description
- Round. Light grayish, with small dark speckles.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with sparse white down, skin grayish black.
Nest Description
Small, shallow, woven cup of twigs and fibers, placed on a tree limb or fork, or in a clump of mistletoe, typically 2-5 m (6.6-16.4 ft) above ground.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Picks berries from mistletoe clusters. Catches insects on the wing, sometimes together with other Phainopeplas. Perches on tops of trees and shrubs.
Conservation
Least Concern
Habitat loss from conversion of desert riparian areas for agricultural use has led to reductions in the number and size of breeding populations. It is not, however, listed as threatened or endangered, and is increasing in some areas.
Credits
- Chu, M., and G. Walsberg. 1999. Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens). In The Birds of North America, No. 415 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.