# 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.

- **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.

## About

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.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ccb28b36-52b9-4a49-9805-ea38b06b7673
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/7497
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polioptila californica
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/236213075/medium.jpg (MarvalPhotography19, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.