Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Related to mockingbirds, the Gray Catbird can mimic the songs of other birds, tree frogs, and even mechanical sounds, often stringing them together in a long, improvised melody.
- Scientific name
- Dumetella carolinensis
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Mimidae › Dumetella
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Dense thickets, woodland edges, suburban gardens, and shrubby areas near water.
- Diet
- Omnivorous; primarily eats insects (beetles, ants, grasshoppers) and a wide variety of wild berries and fruits.
- Range
- North America, Central America, Caribbean
- Size
- 21-24 cm length; 35-40g mass
- Lifespan
- 10-17 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, outdoor domestic cats, and collisions with man-made glass structures.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Safe to observe from a distance. If an injured bird is found, use a towel to gently place it in a ventilated box and contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. Avoid handling with bare hands to prevent stress to the bird.
The gray catbird ( Dumetella carolinensis ), also spelled grey catbird , is a medium-sized North American and Central American perching bird of the mimid family. It is the only member of the "catbird" genus Dumetella . Like the black catbird ( Melanoptila glabrirostris ), it is among the basal lineages of the Mimidae, probably a closer relative of the Caribbean thrasher and trembler assemblage than of the mockingbirds and Toxostoma thrashers. In some areas it is known as the slate-colored mockingbird .
Photo: kirk gardner, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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