= Eastern phoebe
= Sayornis phoebe
{c}
{synonym}
The <eastern phoebe>, <Sayornis phoebe>, is a North American flycatcher belonging to <Tyranni>, the suboscine branch of <Passeriformes>. It often watches for flying <insects> from a low perch, then makes a short flight to capture prey. Sheltered ledges, including those on bridges and buildings, provide nesting sites. Feeding behavior and nest placement help identify the living <species> alongside its appearance and voice.<Eastern Phoebe life history by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology>[Habitat, Food and Behavior]{ref}
Its vocal development provides a controlled test of <learning>. In a 1991 study, four nestlings collected at 10–12 days were hand-reared and deafened at about 35 days, before they began singing. Their later songs were judged normal in comparison with wild males and intact laboratory birds. The tested birds could therefore develop the species-typical song without <auditory feedback> from their own voices.<A suboscine bird (eastern phoebe, Sayornis phoebe) develops normal song without auditory feedback>[Abstract: ages, four birds, deafening and comparison groups]{ref}
The result is narrower than saying that the <brain> or experience has no role in singing. It tests whether intact <hearing> during this developmental interval is necessary for the measured song pattern. Comparing it with a <songbird> experiment in which removing auditory experience disrupts song makes the experimental question clear: similar adult behavior can arise through different developmental requirements.
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