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Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensisOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae)
Codes: Common Name: GRCA Scientific Name: DUMCAR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178625
Least Concern
 
Gray Catbird Breeding Adult
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Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
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Overview

Gray Catbird: Small, shy, dark gray mockingbird with black cap and red-brown undertail coverts. The bill, legs, and feet are black. Forages on ground, shrubs and branches. Feeds mostly on insects and their larvae, spiders, berries and fruits. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Gray Catbird: Breeds from southern Canada to central New Mexico and the Gulf states and in Bermuda. Most spend winters in the southeastern U.S., Panama, and the West Indies, but some winter north to Minnesota and southeastern Canada. Prefers low, dense vegetation or vine tangles at the edges of forests, marshes, and streams; does not occur in forest interiors. Suburban landscapes often contain good habitat for this species.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body


Listen to Call

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

"mew"

Interesting Facts

 When feeding on the ground, catbirds toss leaves aside with their bills rather than scratching with their feet.

 These birds are able to recognize their own eggs making them less susceptible to brood parasites such as the Brown-headed Cowbird.

 Catbird calls include the catlike meow call that gives them their name.

 A group of catbirds are collectively known as "a mewing of catbirds", and a "seat of catbirds."


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Gray Catbird

Related Birds

Brewer's Blackbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Phainopepla
Common Grackle
American Dipper
Bahama Mockingbird
Long-billed Thrasher
Townsend's Solitaire
.
Family Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae)_blue
Species Dumetella carolinensis
Length8.5 - 9 Inches
Wingspan11.5 Inches

Gray Catbird

Gray Catbird: Small, shy, dark gray mockingbird with black cap and red-brown undertail coverts. The bill, legs, and feet are black. Forages on ground, shrubs and branches. Feeds mostly on insects and their larvae, spiders, berries and fruits. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats.

● Song: "mew"

● Foraging & Feeding: Gray Catbird: Feeds mostly on insects such as beetles, caterpillars, cicadas, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, ants, and aphids; also eats spiders, fruits, berries, and seeds; forages on the ground or in shrubs and low trees.

● Breeding & nesting: Gray Catbird: Two to six dark blue green eggs are laid in a nest made of twigs and grass, lined with finer materials, and built in a dense shrub or low tree. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Gray Catbird: None in range.

Flight Pattern

Swift flight on series of rapidly beating wings., Alternates several rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
Gray Catbird Breeding Adult Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Gray Catbird: Breeds from southern Canada to central New Mexico and the Gulf states and in Bermuda. Most spend winters in the southeastern U.S., Panama, and the West Indies, but some winter north to Minnesota and southeastern Canada. Prefers low, dense vegetation or vine tangles at the edges of forests, marshes, and streams; does not occur in forest interiors. Suburban landscapes often contain good habitat for this species.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
Population
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.3 Ounces
Perching-like BodyX
Undertail covertsX
Small feathers that cover the areas where the retrices (tail feathers) attach to the rump.
CapX
The area on top of the head of the bird.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

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.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX