|
|
Gray Catbird
Photos by Bruce
Dayton
|
|
ORDER:
Passeriformes
FAMILY:
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers - 10 Species)
SPECIES:
Gray Catbird
(Dumetella carolinensis)
CLICK - on any silver bar to
return to top of page
|
Gray Catbird |
|
|
The Gray Catbird is named for its cat-like (mewing) call, but like other many members of the Mimidae family, it also mimics the songs of other birds. Gray catbirds are not afraid of predators and respond to them aggressively, they have been known to even attack and peck predators that come too near their nests. |
|
|
SIZE |
The Gray Catbird is a large-sized (8-9 1/2") song bird. |
| DESCRIPTION | Gray
catbirds are uniformly slate gray in color with ruddy undertail
coverts, distinctive black cap, and long black tail.
Sexes are similar in appearance. |
| NESTING | Clutch size ranges from 2-6 eggs, which are incubated in 12 to 14 days. They build a bulky cup nest in a shrub or tree, close to the ground. The nest is a rough cup of twigs and stems, lined with rootlets. |
| RANGE | The Gray Catbird is common in southern Canada and the eastern parts of the states in the summer. They migrate to the southeastern United States, Mexico and Central America. |
| HABITAT | In natural areas, catbirds are fond of wet, densely-vegetated, shrubby habitats such as dense thickets, briars, vines along the edges of woods, and other areas where there is low, dense, shrubby vegetation. |
| DIET | These birds forage on the ground for insects and berries. Many songbirds rely heavily on insects for food but catbirds find food from a variety of other sources for as much as 20% of their diet. |
|
|
| Gray Catbird | |
| Groton
Township Tompkins County, New York |
|
 |
 |
| GyCb_290B_009045 | GyCb_290B_009046 |
| Tyre
Township Seneca County, New York |
|
 |
|
| GyCb_290B_051997 | |
| Sapsucker
Woods Bird Sanctuary Tompkins County, New York |
|
 |
|
| GyCb_290B_051601 | |
|
|
| Catbird Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes |
 |
|
|
| INTERESTING FACTS |
| Carnivorous - Herbivorous - Insectivorous |
|
Carnivorous - Feeds on animals. |
Return to
Birds
of North America
For Fine Art Scenic Prints
Visit FingerLakesFalls.com
|
Please email with any ideas or comments concerning this web page. |
| The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2007 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit. |
NOTE: This site will be updated as time and pictures become available.
Visit Mammals of North America
Gray Catbird
(Dumetella carolinensis
)
Updated 10-20-2008
