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California Gnatcatcher

Polioptila californicaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers (Sylviidae)

California Gnatcatcher Portrait
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General

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. Female is paler and lacks black cap. Winter male resembles female but has dark eyebrow.

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.

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.



Author

Ashli Maruster Splitbar
Range Map for California Gnatcatcher
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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.
Family Gnatcatchers and Kinglets (Sylviidae)_blue
Species Polioptila californica
Length4.3 Inches
Wingspan6 Inches

California Gnatcatcher

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.

● 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