Gray Catbird
Gray Catbird Information
Length: 8 - 9.25"
Breeding Habitat: Dense thickets along woodland edges; overgrown fields with brushy areas; shrubby swamps; residential areas with shrubs or hedges. Avoids coniferous forests.
Diet: Insects, such as beetles, grasshoppers, ants, flies, and caterpillars; spiders; fruits and berries, such as blackberries, elderberries, wild grapes, and wild cherries.
Songs and calls of the Gray Catbird
Photo of Gray Catbird at Nest
Additional Information
Gray Catbird
Photos, description, voice (including sound files), habitat, range, behavior, and similar species. (From Audubon)
Gray Catbird
Photo © Mike Danzenbaker
Gray Catbird
Identification Tips
- Slender bill
- Dark gray plumage
- Dark eye
- Chestnut undertail coverts
- Crown and tail black
- Black legs
- Sexes similar
- Often found in dense vegetation
- Distinctive call like cat's meow
(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)
Breeding Bird Survey Map,
2011-2015
(Image credit: USGS)
Range in New England
The Gray Catbird breeds throughout New England. It is found during the winter only in the southernmost areas of the region, with rare exceptions.
Winter Map from eBird
Sightings of the Gray Catbird Nov-Mar over last 10 years
Christmas Bird Count Map
Historical CBC Map from USGS