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Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Birds Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla Male

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.

Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Female Phainopepla

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.

Phainopepla and mistletoe
Phainopepla scat
Mesquite mistletoe seeds (Phoradendron californicum) left on the branch of a shrub live oak by Phainopepla. Fortunately for the oak, it is not a host for this species of mistletoe. As a result, we can see large accumulations of dead mistletoe seeds on branches where Phainopepla like to sit and sing. Oaks get a different species of mistletoe: oak mistletoe (Phoradendron villosum). Mistletoe fruits are not good for people or pets to eat; they are poisonous.
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) If you were a tasty bug or a big fat mistletoe berry, this might be the last face you'd ever see!
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: male, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: male, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: male, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: male, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: female, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: female, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla: female, adult
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla fledgling: note the yellow lips

Phainopepla and Mistletoe

Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Pair of Phainopepla in a mesquite
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Phainopepla can be social: hanging out in the mesquite
honey mesquite
Honey Mesquite tree with clumps of Mesquite Mistletoe
Honey Mesquite
Mesquite Mistletoe with ripe berries in Catclaw Acacia bush
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Mistletoe fruits are fleshy with sticky pulp and a large seed
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Scat in honey mesquite tree
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Scat in honey mesquite tree
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Scat on desert almond shrub
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Mistletoe seeds recently eaten and pooped by a Phainopepla
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Mistletoe seeds recently eaten and pooped by a Phainopepla
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Older seeds eaten and pooped by a Phainopepla, now sprouting
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
Older seeds eaten and pooped by a Phainopepla, now sprouting

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240124

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