The best source of information on the population status of Eastern Phoebe is the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). It has high reliability based on good coverage of the breeding range and high precision. The national BBS trend shows a sharp decline throughout the 1970s, a slight rebound peaking in the early 1990s, and then a further decrease continuing to the present, amounting to a cumulative loss of 57%. At a regional scale, declines have been observed in the Prairies, northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the southern boreal forest. However, little change has been observed in south and central parts of Ontario and Quebec, and in the Maritimes. 

The goal for Eastern Phoebe is to increase the population to the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Trend data show that Eastern Phoebe is currently below its goal range and continuing to decline. Analysis considering the historical population loss and recent trend suggests that it is unlikely that the goal can be met by 2050, so the interim target is to reach 80% of the goal by 2050. Achieving this target, and ultimately reaching the national goal for this species, will require deliberate conservation action.