California Gnatcatcher
Polioptila californica
Their distinctive call is so similar to a kitten's meow that hikers often mistake them for a lost pet hiding in the brush.
- Scientific name
- Polioptila californica
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Polioptilidae › Polioptila
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Coastal sage scrub and low-growing chaparral communities.
- Diet
- Small insects, spiders, and larvae gleaned from foliage.
- Range
- Southern California, Baja California Peninsula
- Size
- 4.3 inches (11 cm) long; weighs approximately 6 grams.
- Lifespan
- 2 to 5 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation due to urban development, high-frequency wildfires, and brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Maintain a distance of at least 15 feet to avoid disturbing their foraging. Never use recorded bird calls to attract them, as this causes significant stress and disrupts nesting.
The California gnatcatcher ( Polioptila californica ) is a small 10.8 cm (4.3 in) long insectivorous bird which frequents dense coastal sage scrub growth. This species was recently split from the similar black-tailed gnatcatcher of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. This bird is often solitary, but joins with other birds in winter flocks.
Photo: MarvalPhotography19, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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