Gray Catbird

Description:

I looked outside at 7:30 a.m. in the morning, and I saw a gray bird, standing up on the ground, about 6 feet from the front door of my house. The Gray 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. Scientific name: Dumetella carolinensis. In summer, Gray catbirds, eat mainly ants, beetles, grasshoppers, midges, caterpillars, and moths. When fruits are available, they also eat holly berries, cherries, elderberries, poison ivy, greenbrier, bay, and blackberries. They are sometimes garden pests, eating or damaging raspberries, cherries, grapes, and strawberries. A medium - sized, slender songbird, with a long, rounded, black tail, and a narrow, straight bill. Catbirds, are fairly long legged, and have broad, rounded wings. Catbirds, give the impression of being entirely slaty gray. With a closer look, you'll see a small black cap, blackish tail, and a rich rufous - brown patch, under the tail. Also, dark eyes and bill. The Gray catbird, is a migratory species. Spring migration ranges from March to May, and in the fall, ranges from late August to November. In some areas, it is known as the slate - colored mockingbird. No other North American bird, has a uniform, dark gray plumage.

Habitat:

Gray catbirds live amid dense shrubs, vine tangles, and thickets of young trees, in both summer and winter. Human disturbances and development, often create roadsides, fence rows, abandoned farmland, and residential areas. On tropical wintering grounds, catbirds spend more time in forests, then they do while in North America. Look for Gray catbirds, in dense tangles of shrubs, small trees, and vines, along forest edges, stream side thickets, old fields and fence rows. Catbirds, prefer a dense vegetative substrate, especially if thorny vegetation is present. Scrublands, woodland edges, overgrown farmland and abandoned orchards, are generally among the preferred locations of the Catbird. During the winter season, the Catbird has an affinity for berry - rich thickets, especially within proximity of water sources.

Notes:

I looked outside at 7:30 a.m. in the morning, and I saw a gray bird, standing up on the ground, about 6 feet from the front door of my house. It's color, was different shades of gray. It's eyes were black. It had a black cap, on top of its head. It had a black tail. They range in length from 20.5 to 24 cm ( 8.1 to 9.4 in ), and span 22 to 30 cm ( 8.7 to 11.8 in ) across the wings. This species is named for its cat - like call. The Catbird often elects to sing from inside a bush or small tree, where it is obscured from view by the foliage.