The Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens is the most northerly representative of the mainly tropical Central American family Ptilogonatidae, the silky flycatchers.
The Phainopepla is a striking bird with a noticeable crest and a long tail; it is slender, and has an upright posture when it perches. Its bill is short and slender. The male is glossy black, and has a white wing patch that is visible when it flies; the female is plain gray and has a lighter gray wing patch. Both sexes have red eyes, but these are more noticeable in the female than the male.
The Phainopepla ranges as far north as central California with the San Joaquin Valley and southern Utah, and south to central Mexico, the interior Mexican Plateau region; the southern edge of the plateau, the transverse mountains is its non-breeding home. It is found in hot areas, including desert oases, and is readily seen in the deserts of Arizona and southern California; also the Baja Peninsula, both Baja California-(north), and Baja California Sur where they are only breeding resident birds.
Phainopeplas have been found to imitate the calls of twelve other species, including the Red-tailed Hawk Buteo lineatus, and the Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus.
