Say's Phoebe

Status Five records. The first was identified on Seal Island on 24 September 1966 by Chris W. Helleiner and collected by Charles R.K. Allen. On 7 September 1972 one was seen at Ingonish, Victoria County, by Irving Cantor. The third bird was found and photographed by Ian A. McLaren on Sable Island on 18 September 1974. Another fall vagrant was seen on 27 August 1980 on Brier Island by C. Henry Barnett and C. William McCormick. An individual well seen and photographed on 20 May 1980 on Seal Island (M. Litchfield, R. Veit, B. Mactavish) was a first spring record for eastern North America.

Remarks This bird of the far west is readily recognized as a large phoebe with a rusty belly and lower breast. It is an occasional fall vagrant along the Atlantic seaboard.