Unlimited edition. 18 x 24 inch, museum-quality poster on matte paper.
The phainopepla’s common name throws a lot of people off, but it’s quite fitting; it’s derived from the Greek, phain pepla, and translates as “shining robe.” The scientific binomial is Phainopepla nitens, which just ups the “shiny” factor; it translates as “shiny shining robe.” I applaud this doubling down, as the male phainopepla’s outfit does indeed dazzle. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology website describes the plumage as “uniformly glossy black.” That’s accurate, but only if folks appreciate that glossy means lustrous or gleaming. The bird is certainly dark, but his plumage is a panoply of deep violet, midnight blue, onyx, and charcoal, calling to mind the play of color in a twilight sky. The male’s fiery red eye stands out in this evening sky.
Native to the hot and arid woodlands and deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico, this flycatcher species dines on flies and other small insects, but is also an avid fruit eater. Phainopeplas are especially associated with the desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum). That association became clear to me during a 2025 trip to Joshua Tree National Park, where I saw quite a few phainopeplas and no shortage of mesquite mistletoe, another common name for the same mistletoe species. Phainopeplas have evolved a specialized digestive system that allows the birds to de-skin and process the mistletoe berries while leaving the seeds intact. These seeds are pooped out, usually on tree branches, within 45 minutes of the berry’s consumption, thereby providing the mistletoe with a new plant host.
One of the most unusual and intriguing aspects of phainopepla behavior has to do with their breeding seasons – that’s right, seasons, plural! Between February and April, the species breeds in desert habitats, but as the days grow hotter and the fruit supply dwindles, the birds move to oak and sycamore canyons, where they again breed May through July. It’s curious enough that they have two distinct breeding habitats and seasons, but there are also notable differences in their social interaction on these breeding grounds. In the desert, mated phainopepla pairs aggressively defend their territories against intruders, including other phainopeplas. In oak and sycamore woodlands, the birds often nest in colonies of 3–15 pairs, and they work together to mob predators and competitors. 🤯
Note: These archival poster prints feature rich, appealing colors. I encourage customers to take care in handling them until they are framed/protected for display; the darker colors on the matte paper can be scratched. They ship rolled, so customers need to flatten them before framing (or have their framer do so).
Charitable Sales Model: Whenever one of these poster prints is purchased, a charitable contribution equal to 10% of the print’s cost (or $3.60) is made to a nonprofit working to tackle environmental or social challenges. Read more about my charitable sales model here.
Unlimited edition. 18 x 24 inch, museum-quality poster on matte paper.
The phainopepla’s common name throws a lot of people off, but it’s quite fitting; it’s derived from the Greek, phain pepla, and translates as “shining robe.” The scientific binomial is Phainopepla nitens, which just ups the “shiny” factor; it translates as “shiny shining robe.” I applaud this doubling down, as the male phainopepla’s outfit does indeed dazzle. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology website describes the plumage as “uniformly glossy black.” That’s accurate, but only if folks appreciate that glossy means lustrous or gleaming. The bird is certainly dark, but his plumage is a panoply of deep violet, midnight blue, onyx, and charcoal, calling to mind the play of color in a twilight sky. The male’s fiery red eye stands out in this evening sky.
Native to the hot and arid woodlands and deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico, this flycatcher species dines on flies and other small insects, but is also an avid fruit eater. Phainopeplas are especially associated with the desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum). That association became clear to me during a 2025 trip to Joshua Tree National Park, where I saw quite a few phainopeplas and no shortage of mesquite mistletoe, another common name for the same mistletoe species. Phainopeplas have evolved a specialized digestive system that allows the birds to de-skin and process the mistletoe berries while leaving the seeds intact. These seeds are pooped out, usually on tree branches, within 45 minutes of the berry’s consumption, thereby providing the mistletoe with a new plant host.
One of the most unusual and intriguing aspects of phainopepla behavior has to do with their breeding seasons – that’s right, seasons, plural! Between February and April, the species breeds in desert habitats, but as the days grow hotter and the fruit supply dwindles, the birds move to oak and sycamore canyons, where they again breed May through July. It’s curious enough that they have two distinct breeding habitats and seasons, but there are also notable differences in their social interaction on these breeding grounds. In the desert, mated phainopepla pairs aggressively defend their territories against intruders, including other phainopeplas. In oak and sycamore woodlands, the birds often nest in colonies of 3–15 pairs, and they work together to mob predators and competitors. 🤯
Note: These archival poster prints feature rich, appealing colors. I encourage customers to take care in handling them until they are framed/protected for display; the darker colors on the matte paper can be scratched. They ship rolled, so customers need to flatten them before framing (or have their framer do so).
Charitable Sales Model: Whenever one of these poster prints is purchased, a charitable contribution equal to 10% of the print’s cost (or $3.60) is made to a nonprofit working to tackle environmental or social challenges. Read more about my charitable sales model here.
