The Phainopepla is a distinctive silky-flycatcher found across much of Arizona, especially in desert and riparian habitats. Males are glossy black with striking red eyes and a tall crest, while females are gray with the same elegant shape and eye color. Both sexes show conspicuous white wing patches in flight. In Arizona, phainopeplas are most common in the Sonoran Desert, where they are closely associated with desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum), feeding heavily on its berries and dispersing the seeds. They also occur in oak woodlands and desert washes at higher elevations during summer, shifting habitats seasonally to follow food availability. Their flutelike calls and aerial feeding flights make them one of the most recognizable songbirds of the desert Southwest.
