Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Black-capped Gnatcatcher: Very small. Black cap, blue-gray upperparts, black tail, gray white underparts. Long slender black beak. The outer tail feathers mostly white gives underside of tail a white appearance when tail closed. Weak fluttering direct flight with shallow wing beats.
● Song:
"mee-ur"
● Foraging & Feeding:
Black-capped Gnatcatcher: Gleans insects from foliage and branches. Occasionally will hover. Diet sometimes includes spiders and seeds.
● Breeding & nesting:
Black-capped Gnatcatcher: Male and female build cup nest 6 to 13 feet above the ground, in medium sized shrub or small tree, often mesquite, juniper, or acacia. Female lays two to six pale blue eggs flecked with red brown. Both sexes incubate and tend young.
● Similar species:
Black-capped Gnatcatcher: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is distinctly blue toned, with obvious white eye ring and pale bill. Breeding male lacks black cap. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher has much more black on underside of tail, almost completely black with white spots near edge, shorter bill, and more 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.