dcsimg

Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

provided by AnAge articles
Maximum longevity: 17.9 years (wild) Observations: Average longevity in the wild is about 2.5 years (http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/).
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Joao Pedro de Magalhaes
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de Magalhaes, J. P.
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Morphology

provided by Animal Diversity Web

Gray catbirds are medium-sized birds with a dark gray body, a black cap and black tail feathers. They have a chestnut patch underneath the tail coverts. Eastern populations are generally darker grey than western populations. Gray catbirds have short rounded wings and long rounded tail feathers, a short black bill, black eyes, and black feet and legs. They range from 21 to 24 cm long, and weigh 23 to 56 grams.

Gray catbirds are monomorphic, meaning that males and females look alike. Chicks are covered in brown or dark grey down.

Range mass: 23 to 56 g.

Range length: 21 to 24 cm.

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
editor
Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
editor
Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Trophic Strategy

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Gray catbirds mostly forage in treetops and on the ground. They are omnivores, consuming primarily insects and fruits. Insects in their diet include ants, beetles, flies, caterpillars and moths, including gypsy moths, spiders, and aphids. Gray catbirds eat small fruits from a number of different plants, including plants in the following genera: Myrica, Sassafras, Prunus, Cordea, and Trema.

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: fruit

Primary Diet: omnivore

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
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Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Associations

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Gray catbirds are important predators of insects, and may be especially important at controlling infestations of gypsy moth larvae. They also provide food for their predators. They are hosts for a number of body parasites, including lice, hippoboscid flies and ticks.

Gray catbird nests are often parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds. However, they are one of the few bird species that is able to learn to recognize cowbird eggs, and to eject them from the nest. Even when brown-headed cowbird eggs are not ejected, brown-headed cowbird chicks rarely survive to fledge from gray catbird nests.

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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Gray catbirds eat insects, which are often pests to humans. They may particularly important in controlling damaging species of moth and butterfly larvae, such as gypsy moth caterpillars.

Positive Impacts: controls pest population

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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Gray catbirds are sometimes considered a pest because they eat fruit such as blueberries and raspberries.

Negative Impacts: crop pest

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bibliographic citation
Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
editor
Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

provided by Animal Diversity Web

Gray catbirds may benefit from human activity. They commonly make their homes in the kinds of scrubby, dense habitats that are created by deforestation and regrowth. However, their habitat has also been destroyed by clearing fields for agriculture. Gray catbirds are considered to be a common bird species, but they seem to have become less common recently. There are about 10,000,000 gray catbirds in the world. They are protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
editor
Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Behavior

provided by Animal Diversity Web

Gray catbirds communicate visually, by how they hold their head or how their feathers are positioned. They also communicate by way of calls and songs. Gray catbirds are known for their "mew"-like song, which is reminiscent of the "mew" made by a cat. However, these skilled vocalists can make more than 100 different types of sounds, including whistles, harsh chatters and squeaks. They can even mimic other birds, tree frogs and other mechanical sounds that they hear. Part of this ability comes form the unusual structure of their syrinx, which allows both sides of the syrinx to operate independently. This means that gray catbirds can sing with two voices at once. Gray catbirds are also known to sing in duet.

Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic

Other Communication Modes: mimicry ; duets

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
editor
Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
editor
Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Distribution

provided by Animal Diversity Web

Gray catbirds are native to the Nearctic region. They breed in north, central and eastern United States (from Oregon to New Mexico, to along the East coast), and south-central and western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba). During the winter they live in the extreme southeastern United States, along the east coast of Mexico, and in the Caribbean Islands.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )

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Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Habitat

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Gray catbirds live in dense thickets of shrubs and vines within woodlands, and are occasionally found in residential areas. They are also found around some forest edges and clearings, along roadsides, fencerows, abandoned farmland and streamsides. They prefer areas without many conifer trees.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: taiga ; forest

Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural ; riparian

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bibliographic citation
Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Life Expectancy

provided by Animal Diversity Web

The oldest reported gray catbird lived for ten years and eleven months.

Range lifespan
Status: wild:
10.9 (high) years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild:
215 months.

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bibliographic citation
Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Associations

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Snakes, rats, foxes, domestic cats, squirrels and chipmunks, raccoons, blue jays, American crows and common grackles prey on catbird eggs and chicks. Adult catbirds are sometimes hunted by raptors such as red-tailed hawks, Cooper's hawks, and peregrine falcons.

Gray catbirds respond aggressively towards predators. They flash their wings and tails at predators and make "quirt" and "mew" calls. They may even attack and peck at predators that come near the nest.

Known Predators:

  • snakes (Serpentes)
  • brown rats (Rattus norvegicus)
  • red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
  • domestic cats (Felis silvestris)
  • squirrels and chipmunks (Sciuridae)
  • raccoons (Procyon lotor)
  • blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata)
  • American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
  • common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula)
  • red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis)
  • Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii)
  • peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus)
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bibliographic citation
Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Reproduction

provided by Animal Diversity Web

Gray catbirds are monogamous. Breeding pairs form soon after the catbirds arrive on the breeding grounds in the spring.

Mating System: monogamous

Gray catbirds breed between April and early August. They usually raise two broods per season. The female builds a bulky, open nest that is low to the ground (within 2 m). The nests are made from twigs, scraps, and paper bits. The female then lays 1 to 5 (usually 3 or 4) turquoise-colored eggs (about 17 mm by 24 mm). The female incubates the eggs for 12 to 14 days. The young are altricial when they hatch, and the parents shade them in the nest by perching on the rim with their wings spread and breast feathers fluffed. The male and female both feed young, whose diet usually consists only of small invertebrates. The young depart from the nest 10 to 11 days after hatching, and the parents will continue to feed them for up to 12 days. The young birds can breed for the first time the next summer.

Breeding interval: Gray catbirds breed during the spring and summer. They usually raise two broods per season.

Breeding season: Gray catbirds breed between April and early August.

Range eggs per season: 1 to 5.

Average eggs per season: 3.5.

Range time to hatching: 12 to 14 days.

Range fledging age: 10 to 11 days.

Range time to independence: 12 (high) days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 years.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous

Average eggs per season: 4.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male:
365 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female:
365 days.

Gray catbirds are born altricial, which means they cannot take care of themselves. Both males and females feed the young, who only eat small invertebrates. Parents shade the young from the sun by perching on the rim of the nest with their wings spread and breast feathers fluffed. The young fledge 10 to 11 days after hatching. The parents continue to feed them for up to 12 days longer.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female)

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bibliographic citation
Pinkoski, T. 2001. "Dumetella carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dumetella_carolinensis.html
author
Terri Pinkoski, University of Alberta
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Cindy Paszkowski, University of Alberta
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Kari Kirschbaum, Animal Diversity Web
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Brief Summary

provided by EOL authors
The Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) breeds from southern British Columbia (Canada) south to northern New Mexico (U.S.A.) and eastward across most of the United States and adjacent Canada, as well as on Bermuda (where it is present year-round). Gray Catbirds winter from the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States south to Panama, as well as in parts of the Caribbean. Gray Catbirds often skulk in dense thickets, but their rambling songs, with a mix of melodious and harsh and squeaky notes, make their presence obvious in spring and summer. Among the Gray Catbird's several calls is a drawn out mew that is the source of its common name. The diet consists mainly of insects and other small arthropods (especially in early summer) and berries. Nestlings are fed almost entirely on insects, but more than half the annual adult diet may be plant material, especially in fall and winter. Early in the breeding season the male sings almost constantly in the morning and evening and sometimes at night. Courtship may involve the male chasing the female, posturing and bowing with wings drooped and tail raised; the male may face away from the female to show off the patch of chestnut under his tail (present in both sexes). The nest is typically constructed by the female in dense thickets or small trees, typically 1 to 3 m above the ground. It is a large, bulky cup of twigs, weeds, grass, and leaves and lined with rootlets and other fine materials. The 3 to 4 (sometimes 2 or 5, rarely 1 or 6) eggs are greenish blue, rarely with some red spots. They are incubated (by the female only) for 12 to 14 days. Both parents feed the nestlings. Nestlings leave the nest around 10 to 11 days after hatching. Two broods per year is typical. When Brown-headed Cowbirds lay eggs in a Gray Catbird nest, the cowbird eggs are usually recognized, punctured, and ejected by the adult catbirds. Migration apparently occurs mainly at night. Birds breeding in the Northwest seem to migrate east before turning south in fall since they are rarely seen in the Southwest. (Kaufman 1996; AOU 1998; Dunn and Alderfer 2011)
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Associated Plant Communities

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the terms: cover, cover type, forest, presence, shrub, swale

The gray catbird occurs in a wide variety of plant communities.
Physiognomy rather than cover type appears to be the dominant factor in
habitat preference; forest edge is preferred to hedgerows in the open
[18].  Riparian areas are heavily favored [6].  In the Southeast, the
heaviest breeding densities occur in sapling-poletimber stages of elm
(Ulmus spp.)-ash (Fraxinus spp.)-cottonwood (Populus spp.) types, and
the highest winter densities occur in shrub-seedling stages of maritime
live oak (Quercus virginiana) [11].  Breininger [4] reported the
presence of wintering gray catbirds in Florida swale marshes.  In New
England, the gray catbird is rare at high elevations [6].  In western
North Dakota, gray catbirds forage and nest in cottonwood types [12].
In Saskatchewan, gray catbirds were observed in aspen (Populus spp.)
with shrub understory [13].  In Oregon, primary gray catbird foraging
use occurs in tall sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)/bunchgrass, squaw apple
(Peraphyllum ramosissimum)/bunchgrass, curlleaf mountain-mahogany
(Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius)/bunchgrass, curlleaf
mountain-mahogany/pinegrass (Calamagrostis rubescens) and other brush
communities.  Primary reproductive use occurs in quaking aspen (Populus
tremuloides)/grass, quaking aspen/mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata ssp. vaseyana)/bunchgrass, and riparian areas [16].

Plant species commonly used by gray catbirds include multiflora rose
(Rosa multiflora), barberries (Berberis spp.), lilacs (Syringa spp.),
mockorange (Philadelphus spp.), osage-orange (Maclura pomifera), and
various conifers [7,25].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Common Names

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
gray catbird
grey catbird
common catbird
northern catbird
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Cover Requirements

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the terms: shrubs, vines

The gray catbird uses dense, shrubby vegetation for all activities.
Nests are usually constructed about 5 feet (1.5 m) [6] above the ground,
with a range of 3 to 10 feet (1-3 m) above the ground in dense, leafy
shrubs or vines [7].  In Iowa riparian habitat, 72 out of 97 nests were
constructed in shrubs, 11 were found in deciduous saplings, and 14 in
deciduous trees [21].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Distribution

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
The gray catbird breeds from southern British Columbia, southern
Ontario, and Nova Scotia south to central New Mexico and northern
Florida; west to northern and south-central Washington, south-central
and eastern Oregon, north-central Utah, and central and northeastern
Arizona.  Its winter range extends from north-central and eastern Texas,
the central portions of the Gulf States, and Atlantic coastal lowlands
from Long Island south to the Gulf-Caribbean slope of Central America [7].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Food Habits

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the term: shrubs

The gray catbird is primarily a leaf-gleaner [36].  About half of
the diet is insects; the fleshy fruits of woody shrubs constitute most
of the remainder of the diet [7,15].

Animal foods include ants, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers, bugs,
cankerworms and other smooth caterpillars, caterpillars of gypsy moth
and brown-tailed moth, aphids, miscellaneous other insects, and spiders
[15,25].

Plant foods (fruit) include blackberries (Rubus spp.), cherries (Prunus
spp.) including chokecherry (P. virginiana), hollies (Ilex spp.),
bayberries (Myrica spp.), greenbriers (Smilax spp.), poison-ivy
(Toxicodendron spp.), buckthorns (Rhamnus spp.), tatarian honeysuckle
(Lonicera tatarica), Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense), American
elder (Sambucus canadensis), blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), baneberry
(Actaea rubra), dogwoods (Cornus spp.), and buffaloberries (Shepherdia
spp.) [14,15,17,29,36,37].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat-related Fire Effects

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the terms: cover, density, fire exclusion, litter, moderate-severity fire, shrub, shrubs, vines

In Florida, gray catbirds preferred unburned areas to recently burned
coastal scrub and slash pine (Pinus elliottii) flatwoods.  Gray catbird
density increased with postfire age, from 0.1 per acre (0.25/ha) on
1-year plots to 0.6 per acre (1.5/ha) on 10-year (or older) plots [5].
Also in Florida, a 20-year-old slash pine stand was prescribed burned
with a moderate-severity fire in December, 1967.  Ground cover and dead
grass litter were almost entirely consumed, most shrubs were defoliated
and burned back, and small pines were scorched; the foliage of medium
and large-sized trees was scarcely touched.  In the first 5 postfire
months, there were slightly more gray catbirds in the unburned area than
in the burned area.  Most of the gray catbirds observed in both burned
and unburned areas were within 100 feet (30 m) of the burned/unburned
boundary [8].

In general, fires that result in an increase in shrubby vegetation and
vines will increase available habitat for gray catbirds.  Frequent fire
that reduces the shrub layer will decrease available habitat for gray
catbirds.  Where fire exclusion leads to a decrease in patchiness, edge,
or shrubby vegetation, gray catbird habitat may decline.
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Cover Types

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

More info for the term: swamp

    16  Aspen
    17  Pin cherry
    18  Paper birch
    19  Gray birch - red maple
    24  Hemlock - yellow birch
    25  Sugar maple - beech - yellow birch
    26  Sugar maple - basswood
    27  Sugar maple
    28  Black cherry - maple
    39  Black ash - American elm - red maple
    45  Pitch pine
    60  Beech - sugar maple
    61  River birch - sycamore
    62  Silver maple - American elm
    63  Cottonwood
    65  Pin oak - sweetgum
    69  Sand pine
    70  Longleaf pine
    73  Southern redcedar
    75  Shortleaf pine
    79  Virginia pine
    80  Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
    81  Loblolly pine
    83  Longleaf pine - slash pine
    84  Slash pine
    87  Sweetgum - yellow-poplar
    88  Willow oak - water oak - diamondleaf oak
    89  Live oak
    91  Swamp chestnut oak - cherrybark oak
    92  Sweetgum - willow oak
    93  Sugarberry - American elm - green ash
    94  Sycamore - sweetgum - American elm
    95  Black willow
    96  Overcup oak - water hickory
    97  Atlantic white-cedar
    98  Pond pine
   105  Tropical hardwoods
   108  Red maple
   109  Hawthorn
   105  Tropical hardwoods
   106  Mangrove
   111  South Florida slash pine
   215  Western white pine
   218  Lodgepole pine
   238  Western juniper
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Ecosystem

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

FRES10 White-red-jack pine
FRES11 Spruce-fir
FRES12 Longleaf-slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly-shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak-pine
FRES15 Oak-hickory
FRES16 Oak-gum-cypress
FRES17 Elm-ash-cottonwood
FRES18 Maple-beech-birch
FRES19 Aspen-birch
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES22 Western white pine
FRES26 Lodgepole pine
FRES29 Sagebrush
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Plant Associations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: bog, forest, woodland

   K008  Lodgepole pine - subalpine forest
   K013  Cedar - hemlock - pine forest
   K022  Great Basin pine forest
   K024  Juniper steppe woodland
   K032  Transition between K031 and K037
   K037  Mountain-mahogany - oak scrub
   K038  Great Basin sagebrush
   K039  Blackbrush
   K040  Saltbush - greasewood
   K094  Conifer bog
   K095  Great Lakes pine forest
   K098  Northern floodplain forest
   K099  Maple - basswood forest
   K100  Oak - hickory forest
   K101  Elm - ash forest
   K102  Beech - maple forest
   K103  Mixed mesophytic forest
   K104  Appalachian oak forest
   K105  Mangrove
   K106  Northern hardwoods
   K110  Northeastern oak - pine forest
   K111  Oak - hickory - pine forest
   K112  Southern mixed forest
   K113  Southern floodplain forest
   K114  Pocosin
   K115  Sand pine scrub
   K116  Subtropical pine forest
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Management Considerations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the terms: density, shrub

Gray catbirds were rated as tolerant of habitat alteration; they do not
require a specific habitat and are able to make use of
less-highly-preferred habitat, albeit at lower densities [21].

In Pennsylvania, gray catbirds were present in clearcut stands of aspens
and oak-pine.  They were observed to use the edges of stands more often
than interiors (defined as more than 83 feet [25 m] from the interface),
and preferred older stands [30].  Nongame bird densities were censused
in bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata)-quaking aspen-pitch pine
(Pinus rigida), and in bear oak (Quercus ilicifolia)-dwarf chinkapin oak
(Q. prinoides)/blueberry stands that were uncut, 50 percent clearcut,
or 75 percent clearcut.  Length of time since treatment was 2, 6, or 12
years.  Gray catbirds were encountered more often than expected in 75
percent clearcut aspen stands and were not encountered in uncut stands
of either aspens or oaks.  Within the 50 percent clearcut stands, gray
catbirds were more common in 12-year-old stands of both aspens and
oak-pine than in 2-year-old stands [32].

Stauffer and Best [21] made the following predictions about the effect of
habitat alteration on gray catbird density:

1) conversion of woody vegetation to hayfield or pasture will eliminate
     gray catbird
2) reduction of woody vegetation to narrow strips along streams will
     reduce gray catbird density
3) partial removal of the canopy will increase gray catbird density
4) thinning of shrub and sapling layers will reduce gray catbird density.

The authors were unable to make a prediction for the effect of partial canopy
removal with shrub thinning, since the separate treatments have opposite
effects [21].

Tall structures create a hazard to migrating gray catbirds because most
migration occurs at night [25].  Structures listed as hazards include
lighthouses and the Washington Monument [2].

Nest Parasitism:  Gray catbirds are infrequent hosts to brown-headed
cowbirds.  Gray catbirds will eject eggs of other species that are found
in the nest [25].  However, if a naive gray catbird is exposed to a
brown-headed cowbird egg before her own eggs are laid, she will "learn"
the cowbird egg, eject her own eggs, and rear the cowbird chick [38].
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Occurrence in North America

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals

AL
AZ
AR
CO
CT
DE
FL
GA
ID
IL

IN
IA
KS
KY
LA
ME
MD
MA
MI
MN

MS
MO
MT
NE
NH
NJ
NM
NY
NC
ND

OH
OK
OR
PA
RI
SC
TN
TX
UT
VT

VA
WA
WV
WI
WY

BC
NS
SK

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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Predators

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
Snakes are major predators on gray catbird nestlings, as are rats,
foxes, and domestic cats.  Other nest molesters include common grackle
(Quiscalus quiscula), brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), and northern
cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).  Adult catbirds are taken by northern
harrier (Circus cyaneus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), and
long-eared owl (Asio otus) [2].  Toland [26] listed a gray catbird as a
nesting season prey item for a red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis).
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Preferred Habitat

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the terms: density, forest, marsh, shrub, shrubs, swamp, tree, vines, woodland

The gray catbird uses dense thickets of shrubby edge habitat for both
nesting and foraging.  Any area of dense shrubs, briars, or vines along
woodland borders appears to be suitable [7].  The habitat niche breadth
is fairly large, meaning that gray catbirds use a wide variety of
foliage densities and shrub layers.  The gray catbird is also found in
dry marsh edges, roadside shrubs, abandoned fields, and fencerows [7].

Sample gray catbird densities are as follows:  In New York, one nest per
8 acres (3.2 ha) (80 pairs per square mile [31/sq km]) was reported for
mixed shrub-small tree stages in beech (Fagus spp.)-maple (Acer
spp.)-hemlock (Tsuga spp.) forest [6].  In North Dakota, 40 pairs per
square mile (15 per sq km) were observed in favorable habitat [22], and
in Maryland, 80 males were counted for 100 acres (40 ha) in shrub swamp
habitat [23].  In Iowa, there was a positive relationship between gray
catbird density and sapling richness, tree size, and tree patchiness,
and a negative relationship with tree density [21].
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regional Distribution in the Western United States

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More info on this topic.

This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

    5  Columbia Plateau
    6  Upper Basin and Range
    8  Northern Rocky Mountains
    9  Middle Rocky Mountains
   10  Wyoming Basin
   11  Southern Rocky Mountains
   12  Colorado Plateau
   13  Rocky Mountain Piedmont
   14  Great Plains
   15  Black Hills Uplift
   16  Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Taxonomy

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
The currently accepted scientific name of gray catbird is Dumetella
carolinensis (L.). It is a member of the mimic-thrush family (Mimidae).
There are no accepted subspecies [7,34].
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Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Timing of Major Life History Events

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the term: constancy

Breeding Season:  The gray catbird breeds from late April to mid-August,
with the peak season occurring from mid-May to mid-June [11].  The nest
is a ragged mass of sticks, weed stems, grasses, leaves, and twigs.  The
cup may be lined with pine needles, rootlets, fine shreds of bark, and
horsehair [25].  In New York, eggs were laid from May 5 to June 13 [6].
In Ontario, egg dates ranged from May 2 to August 18 [19].  The gray
catbird raises two or more consecutive broods in one season [6].

Clutch Size:  The average clutch size is four, but ranges from three to
five eggs [11].

Development:  Eggs are incubated for 12 to 15 days [2,6].  The female is
usually the sole incubating parent and is fed by the male [2].  The
young usually remain in the nest for 11 days; the nestling stage ranges
from 9 to 15 days.  The gray catbird is sexually mature at 1 year [6].

Migration:  The southward migration of gray catbird begins early in the
fall, soon after the young leave the nest [15].  During one fall study
period as many as 725 gray catbirds were reported at Dauphin Island,
Alabama in a single day [39].  In the spring, males arrive on nesting
grounds prior to the females [25].  Gray catbirds were the second most
frequently captured species in the spring in a study area on the Fort
Morgan Peninsula, Alabama [39].  Banded birds usually return to the
place of banding.  There is variation in the constancy of mating; some
catbird pairs raise consecutive broods in the same season and remain
paired in subsequent seasons.  Other pairs raise one brood and then find
new mates, although the male appears to remain constant to a territory
[2].

Maximum longevity is 10 years [25].  Average longevity is around 2.5
years [2].
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bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Use of Fire in Population Management

provided by Fire Effects Information System Animals
More info for the terms: fire regime, prescribed fire

In central Pennsylvania management of even-aged aspen stands for ruffed
grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is also suitable for gray catbirds.  Management
for ruffed grouse includes the creation of brushy, edge conditions that
are favored by gray catbirds.  This management often includes the use of
prescribed fire [31].


FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Dumetella carolinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Comprehensive Description

provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
Dumetella carolinensis (Linnaeus)

Before the experimental studies discussed earlier in this paper, the gray catbird and the American robin were the only species known to eject cowbird eggs frequently. But the actual incidence of ejection was not known. Experiments on 53 catbird nests resulted in 50 (94.3 percent) ejections. The cowbird eggs in the 3 remaining nests were accepted. The experiments were conducted in Connecticut, Manitoba, Nebraska, Michigan, and Maryland (Rothstein, 1975a).

Experiments on 17 additional nests show that after egg laying has ceased, catbirds correctly distinguish between their own and foreign eggs in a number of different contexts. Catbirds always ejected cowbird or other types of foreign eggs even when these egg types outnumbered the catbird's eggs or were the only types present (Rothstein, 1975c). These experiments were done to test Rensch's (1925) question of whether birds that reject parasitic eggs actually recognize either their own or the parasitic egg, or whether they simply reject the egg type that is in the minority. In nearly all cases the parasitic egg is in the minority, so rejection could function efficiently as a host defense even if birds did not recognize their own or a parasitic egg. Contrary to the generally held belief, the experiments showed that catbirds do indeed “know” the appearance of their own eggs. Other experiments (Rothstein, 1974) suggested that catbirds learn the appearance of their egg type from the first egg(s) they lay and that it is possible to “teach” a catbird that a cowbird egg is its own egg type if eggs are experimentally switched shortly after laying begins.

The Ontario nest records files at Toronto include 9 instances of cowbird parasitism on the gray catbird; these constitute 1.3 percent of 707 nests reported; the files at Cornell University record 4 instances (out of 367 nests in all), 3 from Michigan and 1 from Kentucky.

BROWN THRASHER
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bibliographic citation
Friedmann, Herbert, Kiff, Lloyd F., and Rothstein, Stephen I. 1977. "A further contribution of knowledge of the host relations of the parasitic cowbirds." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 1-75. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.235

Gray catbird

provided by wikipedia EN

The gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), also spelled grey 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. Like the black catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris), it is among the basal lineages of the Mimidae, probably a closer relative of the Caribbean thrasher and trembler assemblage than of the mockingbirds and Toxostoma thrashers.[2][3] In some areas it is known as the slate-colored mockingbird.[4]

Taxonomy

The name Dumetella is based upon the Latin term dūmus ("thorny thicket";[5] it thus means approximately "small thornbush-dweller" or "small bird of the thornbushes". It refers to the species' habit of singing when hidden in undergrowth. The specific name carolinensis is Neo-Latin for "from the Carolinas".[6]

The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1766 edition of Systema naturae. His original name Muscicapa carolinensis reflected the belief, widespread at that time, that the gray catbird was some sort of Old World flycatcher (presumably due to its remarkably plain coloration, not similar to other mimids).[7]

The genus name has a convoluted nomenclatorial history. The monotypic genus Galeoscoptes, proposed by Jean Cabanis in 1850, was widely used up to 1907. This name roughly means "capped mockingbird", from Latin galea "helmet" and Ancient Greek skóptein (σκώπτειν, "to scold" or "to mock"). But as it turned out, Dumetella was a technically acceptable senior synonym, even though the peculiar circumstances of its publishing left the identity of its author unsolved until 1989. As it turned out, the genus name was published by C.T. Wood in 1837. His description is somewhat eccentric, and was published under his pseudonym "S.D.W.". Wood misquotes his source—John Latham's 1783 General Synopsis of Birds—as calling the bird "cat thrush", probably because he knew the species under that name from George Shaw's General Zoology. Latham's name was "cat flycatcher", analogous to the scientific name of Linné.[5][7][8]

Shaw (and subsequently C.T. Wood) used L.J.P. Vieillot's specific name felivox. This means "cat voice", a contraction of Latin felis ("cat") and vox ("voice"). Vieillot, differing from the earlier authors, believed the bird to be a true thrush (Turdus).[5][9]

Though mimids were widely considered Turdidae until the 1850s, this was not any more correct than treating them as Old World flycatchers, as these three families are distinct lineages of the superfamily Muscicapoidea. In the mid-20th century, the Turdidae and even most of the Sylvioidea were lumped in the Muscicapidae—but the Mimidae were not.

Lastly, the smaller gray catbirds from Bermuda, which have proportionally narrow and shorter rectrices and primary remiges, were described as subspecies bermudianus ("from Bermuda") by Outram Bangs in 1901. But this taxon was never widely accepted, and today the gray catbird is generally considered monotypic as a species, too.

Description

Adults weigh from 23.2 to 56.5 g (0.8 to 2.0 oz), with an average of 35–40 g (1.2–1.4 oz)[9][10] 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.[10] Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 8.4 to 9.8 cm (3.3 to 3.9 in), the tail is 7.2 to 10.3 cm (2.8 to 4.1 in), the culmen is 1.5 to 1.8 cm (0.6 to 0.7 in) and the tarsus is 2.7 to 2.9 cm (1.1 to 1.1 in).[11] Gray catbirds are plain lead gray almost all over. The top of the head is darker. The undertail coverts are rust-colored, and the remiges and rectrices are black, some with white borders. The slim bill, the eyes, and the legs and feet are also blackish. Males and females cannot be distinguished by their looks; different behaviours in the breeding season is usually the only clue to the observer. Juveniles are even plainer in coloration, with buffy undertail coverts.

Vocalizations

This species is named for its cat-like call. Like many members of the Mimidae (in particular mockingbirds), it also mimics the songs of other birds, as well as those of Hylidae (tree frogs), and even mechanical sounds. Because of its well-developed songbird syrinx, it is able to make two sounds at the same time. The alarm call resembles the quiet calls of a male mallard.

A gray catbird's song is easily distinguished from that of the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) or brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) because the mockingbird repeats its phrases or "strophes" three to four times, the thrasher usually twice, but the catbird sings most phrases only once. The catbird's song is usually described as more raspy and less musical than that of a mockingbird.

In contrast to the many songbirds that choose a prominent perch from which to sing, the catbird often elects to sing from inside a bush or small tree, where it is obscured from view by the foliage.

Distribution and habitat

Native to most of temperate North America east of the Rocky Mountains, gray catbirds migrate to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean in winter; except for the occasional vagrant they always stay east of the American Cordillera. They are extremely rare vagrants to western Europe. Normally present on the breeding grounds by May, most leave for winter quarters in September/October; as it seems, this species is increasingly extending its stay in the summer range, with some nowadays remaining until mid-winter as far north as Ohio.[7][12][13] The gray catbird is a migratory species. Spring migration ranges from March to May, and in the fall ranges from late August to November.[14]

The catbird tends to avoid dense, unbroken woodlands, and does not inhabit coniferous, pine woodland. Catbirds prefer a dense vegetative substrate, especially if thorny vegetation is present.[14][15] Scrublands, woodland edges, overgrown farmland and abandoned orchards are generally among the preferred locations of the catbird. In Bermuda, its preferred habitats are scrub and myrtle swamp.[15] During the winter season, the catbird has an affinity for berry-rich thickets, especially within proximity of water sources.[14]

Behavior

Breeding

Their breeding habitat is semi-open areas with dense, low growth; they are also found in urban, suburban, and rural habitats. In the winter months they seem to associate with humans even more.[16] These birds mainly forage on the ground in leaf litter, but also in shrubs and trees. They mainly eat arthropods and berries. In the winter months, Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae) and Trophis racemosa (Moraceae) bear fruit well liked by this species, and such trees can be planted to attract the gray catbird into parks and gardens.[16]

They build a bulky cup nest in a shrub or tree, close to the ground. Eggs are light blue in color, and clutch size ranges from 1–5, with 2–3 eggs most common. Both parents take turns feeding the young birds.

Feeding

Gray catbirds are omnivores, and approximately 50% of their diet is fruit and berries. They tend to peck more fruit than they can eat. They also eat mealworms, earthworms, beetles, and other bugs. In summer, gray catbirds will eat mostly ants, beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and moths. They also eat holly berries, cherries, elderberries, poison ivy, bay, and blackberries. They also often peck the eggs of other species of birds, but it is unknown if they do this to supplement their diet or to reduce competition for food from other birds.[17]

Predation and threats

The gray catbird can be attracted by "pishing" sounds.[9] Gray catbirds are not afraid of predators and respond to them aggressively by flashing their wings and tails and by making their signature mew sounds. They are also known to even attack and peck predators that come too near their nests. They also will destroy eggs of the brood parasitic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) laid in their nests by pecking them.

This species is widespread and generally plentiful, though its reclusive habits often make it seem less common than it is. It is not considered threatened by the IUCN due to its large range and numbers.[1][9]

On Bermuda however, gray catbirds were once very common, but their numbers have been greatly reduced in recent years by deforestation and nest predation by introduced species (including the great kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus and the European starling Sturnus vulgaris). In the United States, this species receives special legal protections under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Dumetella carolinensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22711013A94272855. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22711013A94272855.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Hunt, Jeffrey S.; Bermingham, Eldredge; Ricklefs, Robert E. (2001). "Molecular systematics and biogeography of Antillean thrashers, tremblers, and mockingbirds (Aves: Mimidae)" (PDF). Auk. 118 (1): 35–55. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2001)118[0035:MSABOA]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 51797284.
  3. ^ Barber, Brian R.; Martínez-Gómez, Juan E.; Peterson, A. Townsend (2004). "Systematic position of the Socorro mockingbird Mimodes graysoni" (PDF). J. Avian Biol. 35 (3): 195–198. doi:10.1111/j.0908-8857.2004.03233.x. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-07.
  4. ^ Gray Catbird, BirdNature.com
  5. ^ a b c Glare, P.G.W. (ed.) (1968–1982): Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed.). Oxford University Press, Oxford. ISBN 0-19-864224-5
  6. ^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  7. ^ a b c Olson, Storrs L. (1989). "The Original Description and Author of the Genus Dumetella (Mimidae)" (PDF). Wilson Bulletin. 101 (4): 633–637.
  8. ^ Woodhouse, S.C. (1910): English-Greek Dictionary – A Vocabulary of the Attic Language. George Routledge & Sons Ltd., Broadway House, Ludgate Hill, E.C.
  9. ^ a b c d Olson, Storrs L.; James, Helen F.; Meister, Charles A. (1981). "Winter field notes and specimen weights of Cayman Island Birds" (PDF). Bull. B.O.C. 101 (3): 339–346.
  10. ^ a b Gray catbird. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. allaboutbirds.org
  11. ^ Wrens, Dippers, and Thrashers: A Guide to the Wrens, Dippers, and Thrashers of the World by David Brewer & Sean McMinn. Yale University Press (2001). ISBN 978-0300090598.
  12. ^ Henninger, W.F. (1906). "A preliminary list of the birds of Seneca County, Ohio" (PDF). Wilson Bulletin. 18 (2): 47–60.
  13. ^ Ohio Ornithological Society (2004): Annotated Ohio state checklist Archived 2004-07-18 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ a b c Dunne, Pete (2006). Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 506–7. ISBN 978-0300090598. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  15. ^ a b Brewer, David (2001). Wrens, Dippers, and Thrashers. Yale University Press. pp. 89–91. ISBN 978-0300090598. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  16. ^ a b Foster, Mercedes S. (2007). "The potential of fruiting trees to enhance converted habitats for migrating birds in southern Mexico". Bird Conservation International. 17 (1): 45–61. doi:10.1017/S0959270906000554.
  17. ^ "Gray catbird". Smithsonian's National Zoo. 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-05-19.

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Gray catbird: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

The gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), also spelled grey 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. Like the black catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris), it is among the basal lineages of the Mimidae, probably a closer relative of the Caribbean thrasher and trembler assemblage than of the mockingbirds and Toxostoma thrashers. In some areas it is known as the slate-colored mockingbird.

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