Phainopepla
Phainopepla nitens
Perching
Length: 8 in. (20 cm )
Perching conspicuously at the tops of scattered trees, this desert species is easy to find. It occurs in riparian areas at lower altitudes in the winter and early spring where it makes its first nest of the year. Then in the heat of summer Phainopeplas move to moister and often higher altitudes to nest again. They depend heavily on fruits of the parasitic plant mistletoe, but they also hawk flying insects like a flycatcher to feed their young. The small nest is made of twigs, leaves and spider webbing and usually placed high in a mistletoe clump in the crown of a tree.
The four-digit banding code is PHAI.
Female |
Male |
Desert
Mesquite bosque
Riparian / River forest
Shrubs
You may need to edit author's name to meet the style formats, which are in most cases "Last name, First name."
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/activities/bird/phainopepla
Bibliographic details:
- Article: Phainopepla
- Author(s): Dr. Biology
- Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
- Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
- Date published: 13 Jul, 2017
- Date accessed: 28 July, 2025
- Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/activities/bird/phainopepla
APA Style
Dr. Biology. (Thu, 07/13/2017 - 15:37). Phainopepla. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/activities/bird/phainopepla
American Psychological Association. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/
Chicago Manual of Style
Dr. Biology. "Phainopepla". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 13 Jul 2017. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/activities/bird/phainopepla
For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/04/
MLA 2017 Style
Dr. Biology. "Phainopepla". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 13 Jul 2017. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/activities/bird/phainopepla
Modern Language Association, 7th Ed. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/
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