Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Polioptila melanuraOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers (Sylviidae)

Codes: Common Name: BTGN Scientific Name: POLMEL ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179857

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: The breeding male Black-tailed Gnatcatcher has a black cap, blue-gray upperparts, black tail, and gray-white underparts.

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Variations

Female
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Male
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Medium gnatcatcher with black cap, blue-gray upperparts, black tail, and pale gray underparts. The bill is short and black. Black tail is edged with white; underside of tail appears mostly black with large white spots near tip when closed. Black legs and feet.

Range and Habitat

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Fairly common resident of arid scrub and washes of the American southwest and central and northern Mexico.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"cheeh", "ssheh"

Interesting Facts

The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is a nonmigratory bird that lives in pairs throughout the entire year. The male and female usually forage within a few yards of each other. This togetherness may give them a heightened need to communicate—they have a surprising variety of call notes.

Unlike the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, which it closely resembles, it rarely catches insects in midair. It prefers to forage on thorn trees.

Canopy height appears to be important for foraging; they spend at least 75% of their time in brush less than 9 feet high.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Ashli Maruster

Artist

David Wenzel

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

● Song: "cheeh", "ssheh"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Gleans insects from foliage and branches. Occasionally will hover. Diet sometimes includes spiders and seeds.

● Breeding & nesting: Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Both parents build cup nest in fork of mesquite, creosote or other desert scrub, usually one to four feet above ground. Nest is compact, made of plant down bound with insect and spider silk. Female lays three to five pale blue or green eggs marked with brown. Incubation by both the male and female usually 14 days in duration. Altricial young tended by both parents fledge between 9 and 15 days.

● Similar species: Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is distinctly blue toned, with obvious white eye ring and pale bill. Breeding male lacks black cap. Black-capped Gnatcatcher has much less black on underside of tail, almost completely white with black extending lengthwise down middle, longer bill, and less distinct eye ring. California Gnatcatcher is darker and more dusky overall with more brown tones throughout, tail almost completely black on underside with very little white edging. All species have different vocalizations.

Flight Pattern

Short flights usually within low vegetation. Tail often waving from side to side and/or cocked in the air.

● Range & Habitat: Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Fairly common resident of arid scrub and washes of the American southwest and central and northern Mexico.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon in range

^MigrationMost do not migrate

^Weight0.2 Ounces

Perching-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Cap

The area on top of the head of the bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Related Birds

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Variations

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Range and Habitat

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Interesting Facts

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Artist

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Flight Pattern