Looking as though it had arrived for a black-tie event, the bird flew out from beneath Salem’s Church Street Bridge and back again, insect in bill. Years prior, a black Phoebe appearing in Salem would have stopped many birders in their tracks. The small songbird, black with a white underbelly, is a rarity to see this far north. When Willamette University’s biology professor David Craig spotted one along Pringle Creek, he knew he was seeing something surprising. The bird repeatedly flew beneath a bridge, disappearing briefly and returning to low branches, scanning the water’s surface for insects. “It would fly beneath the bridge and return empty-beaked,” Craig said, “so I was suspicious of nesting activity.” It took two Davids to solve the mystery: one who studies birds and knew what to look for and another who helped track where the bird was going. Fourth-year Willamette University biology student David Gregg keeps his eye on three young black Phoebes awaiting an adult phoebe to fly down and feed them at Pringle Park. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Fourth-year biology student David Gregg followed the bird until the ambiguity ended beneath the bridge, where a nest crafted from mud and grass was found tucked into a place most pedestrians pass without ever noticing. The near century-old bridge spans Pringle Creek, and its sheltered concrete overhang has become a perfect nesting site for back Phoebes. Craig said the structure mimics cliff faces the birds typically seek for nesting. As development spread across the West, bridges and building eaves have become suitable alternatives. Wilammette University biology professor David Craig points to an informational sign about the architecture of Salem bridges, describing the types of nesting sites black Pheobes typically prefer. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) The bird’s identity was first confirmed by Willamette University alumni Marcus Varner who grew up around black Phoebes in California. For Varner, the bird’s high-pitched call was a sound he had heard for years before moving to Oregon. Beyond being an exciting discovery for bird watchers, the nest marks another step in a decades-long shift being driven in part by a warming climate. As temperatures rise, birds are changing where and when they nest. According to Craig’s research, Oregon had only one confirmed black Phoebe nesting since 1940 farther south in the Rogue Valley. Today, the species is continuing to move north as milder winters allow more insects to survive year-round, giving nonmigratory birds enough food to breed outside of their historical region. “Ultimately, it’s that it’s just warming here,” Craig said. “It’s kind of mimicking more of what California is doing.” A mature black Pheobe is pictured at Pringle Creek Park hunting for insects. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Craig describes the black Phoebe as part of the flycatcher family, a group of birds built for catching insects in midair flight.  “They’re songbirds that specialize in catching insects from a perch,” he said. “They have these big, chunky heads relative to their bodies, small legs for perching and acrobatic flight.” The birds prefer riparian zones — areas that unite water and land where insects are abundant. Craig says that the Salem nest is part of a bigger pattern. Anna’s hummingbirds, California scrub jays and other bird species have also expanded north in recent decades as temperatures continue to rise. “Another 10 or 15 years will be like, ‘Yeah, they’re all over,'” Craig said of black Phoebes. Not every species benefits from a changing climate, however. “With climate change … if you had four bird species, two of them are in big trouble,” Craig said. “One species maybe doesn’t change, and then another species does a little bit better. So, this is one of those birds that’s currently a winner.” Three young black Pheobes perch on a tree branch waiting for an adult to feed them. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) The nest may also say something about the habitat’s health. As black Phoebes rely on an ample amount of insects, their willingness to raise their young in Salem suggests the area provides enough food to sustain them, Craig said. It may also point to less pollution and pesticides in the area. Gregg says the birds’ food chain starts with native ash trees growing along Pringle Creek. Native insects evolved alongside those trees and in turn provide food for black Phoebes. “If we had a European or Asian ash tree,” Craig said, “you wouldn’t have insects on them because the insects here didn’t evolve with those ash trees.” The nest beneath Church Street Bridge is a good sign that the creek habitat is providing what the birds need to survive. With native trees supporting insects with enough food to raise their young, Craig says the birds are making a choice. “If they’re choosing to have their babies here,” he said, “then this is a great place for us to have them.” Contact reporter Brook Ferris: [email protected]. “My go-to source every morning for accurate, local news.” Make Salem Reporter your trusted source for independent local reporting – every day. Stay informed and connected. Subscribe today. The post The black and white bird brings shades of a shifting climate appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less