General Description: Phainopeplas (Phainopepla nitens) are medium sized, crested birds about the size and shape of a Northern Cardinal. When sitting on a perch, adult males are all black, adult females are gray-brown, and juveniles are gray-brown. In flight, both genders show white wing patches. Both genders also have red eyes, which is more pronounced in adults.

Taxonomy: Passeriformes, Ptilogonatidae (Silky-flycatchers).

Favored Habitat: In our area (the desert), Phainopepla prefer riparian corridors and desert washes with Honey Mesquite and Catclaw Acacia because while they are here, they feed almost exclusively on Mesquite Mistletoe berries. When they leave our area, they fly to the coastal mountains of southern California. In that area, they prefer shrubby and forested areas where they feed on insects and berries, but not mistletoe berries.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, Phainopepla are cooler-season residents in areas where they can find mistletoe berries. Look for them at Red Rocks (Calico Basin), the Henderson BVP, Sunset Park, Overton WMA, and Gold Butte (along the Virgin River and in Mud Wash).

Comments: Phainopepla are adept flycatchers, but they are better known for eating and dispersing mistletoe berries. If you find a good patch of honey mesquite or catclaw acacia with lots of mistletoe, look around for the Phainopepla. Listen for their low, single-note, whistled call.

Phainopepla are unusual in their migratory and feeding behaviors. For birds that migrate, most species fly north to breed in the summer and fly south to winter in warm places with lots of food. In contrast, Phainopepla breed in the desert during cooler times of year (feeding and raising young on mistletoe berries), then they migrate west to the coastal mountains of southern California where the breed again during summer, feeding and raising young on insects and typical berries.