California Gnatcatcher

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

Codes: Common Name: CAGN Scientific Name: POLCAL ITIS Taxonomic No.: 554389

California Gnatcatcher: The breeding male California Gnatcatcher has a black cap, blue-gray upperparts, and a black tail, light to medium gray underparts are washed with buff.

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Overview

California Gnatcatcher: Medium-sized gnatcatcher with a black cap, dark blue-gray upperparts, black tail, and paler gray, buff-washed underparts. Bill is short, slender, and black. Tail is black with white edges, with undertail appearing all-black when closed. Legs and feet are black.

Range and Habitat

California Gnatcatcher: Local resident of southern California and Baja California. Apparent coastal sage shrub/scrub, chaparral obligate in the United States. Population declines due to habitat destruction have prompted its listing as a federally threatened species.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"jzer", "zew", "zeeer"

Interesting Facts

The limited range of the California Gnatcatcher, and its specific habitat requirements, make it vulnerable and a high conservation priority. It was Federally listed as a Threatened species in 1993.

The entire world's population of the California Gnatcatcher occurs in Baja California and coastal southern California year-round where it depends on a variety of arid scrub habitats.

A high rate of nest predation is compensated by up to ten re-nesting attempts over the long breeding season.

Bird Term Glossary

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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.

California Gnatcatcher

● Song: "jzer", "zew", "zeeer"

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

● Breeding & nesting: California Gnatcatcher: Four to five pale blue eggs with small red brown spots are laid in a cup nest built by both parents in low shrubby vegetation; nest comprised of grass, bark, and plant fibers bound with spider and insect silk, lined with leaves and down feathers. Both sexes incubate eggs for about 14 days.

● Similar species: California Gnatcatcher: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher distinctly blue toned, with white eye ring, pale bill, lacks black cap, undertail nearly all white. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher has more white on underside of tail. Black-capped Gnatcatcher undertail almost entirely white. All species have different vocalizations and are overall lighter in color than the California Gnatcatcher.

Flight Pattern

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

California Gnatcatcher Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: California Gnatcatcher: Local resident of southern California and Baja California. Apparent coastal sage shrub/scrub, chaparral obligate in the United States. Population declines due to habitat destruction have prompted its listing as a federally threatened species.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationUncommon to rare, Declining, Threatened in U.S. range

^MigrationNonmigratory

^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