Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Grey Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Grey Catbird

Grey Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

The Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, is a medium-sized perching bird native to North America and parts of Central America. It is the sole representative of the genus Dumetella within the mimid family. Exhibiting a predominantly slate-gray plumage, the bird is characterized by a darker cap and a notable rust-colored patch beneath its tail. Both sexes appear similar, making them indistinguishable in the field, while juveniles present a more subdued coloration.

Identification Tips

Adult Gray Catbirds typically weigh between 23.2 to 56.5 grams and measure 20.5 to 24 centimeters in length, with a wingspan ranging from 22 to 30 centimeters. Their wings and tail are blackish, with some feathers edged in white. The bill, eyes, and legs are also blackish. Observers can identify this species by its lead gray color, darker head, and the distinctive rust-colored undertail coverts.

Habitat

The Gray Catbird favors dense vegetation, particularly areas with thorny undergrowth. It thrives in scrublands, woodland edges, overgrown farmland, and abandoned orchards. In Bermuda, it is drawn to scrub and myrtle swamp habitats.

Distribution

This bird is found throughout most of temperate North America east of the Rocky Mountains. During winter, it migrates to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe.

Behaviour

Gray Catbirds are ground foragers, often seen rummaging through leaf litter, but they also forage in shrubs and trees. They are known for their boldness in the presence of predators, readily flashing their wings and tails and vocalizing their distinctive calls. They are also known to aggressively defend their nests from intruders.

Song & Calls

The Gray Catbird is named for its cat-like call. It is a skilled mimic, capable of imitating the songs of other birds and even mechanical noises. Its song is unique among mimids, typically singing phrases only once, which is raspier and less musical than that of the Northern Mockingbird or the Brown Thrasher.

Breeding

Gray Catbirds breed in semi-open areas with dense, low growth. They construct a bulky cup nest in a shrub or tree, close to the ground. Clutches typically consist of 1-5 light blue eggs, with both parents sharing incubation and feeding duties.

Similar Species

The Gray Catbird can be confused with other mimids, but its plain gray coloration and cat-like calls are distinctive. It lacks the repetitive phrases of the Northern Mockingbird and the musical quality of the Brown Thrasher's song.

Diet and Feeding

Omnivorous by nature, the Gray Catbird's diet is composed of approximately 50% fruit and berries, with the remainder being insects and other arthropods. They are known to peck at more fruit than they can consume and will also eat various insects, especially during the summer months.

Conservation status

The Gray Catbird is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is widespread and generally abundant, though its secretive behavior may make it seem less common. In Bermuda, however, its population has declined due to habitat loss and predation by introduced species. The species is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 in the United States.

Grey Catbird Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Grey Catbirds on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Mockingbirds, Thrashers

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.