Blue, Gray Gnatcatcher

The Blue, Gray Gnatcatcher is a perching bird a bit smaller than a sparrow standing about five inches tall as an adult. This gnatcatcher is a small, lean bird with a long tail. The bird has blue, gray plumage on its back, its stomach is white and the gnatcatcher has a white eye ring and wide white borders on black tail. Also its beak is thin and colored ivory. The Blue, Gray Gnatcatcher similar to a small sized mockingbird in breeding season. During the breeding season the male gnatcatcher has black eye ring Habitat The chosen habitats for the Blue, Gray Gnatcatcher are in hardwood forests, streamside brush, mature oak trees, evergreen shrubs or dwarf oak thickets.

Nest The birds build a small cup shaped of plant down and spider webs about half way up a tree or large bush. They line the nest with flakes of flowerless plants like lichens. They attach the nest to a branch parallel to the ground at almost any height from two to 25 feet above ground.

After mating the female gnatcatcher lays four or five chocolate dotted light blue eggs. About two weeks after laying the eggs the new born gnatcatchers hatch. Again in about a two week period the young birds fledge. Normally the gnatcatchers have one brood each year.

Range The Blue Gray Gnatcatcher breeds from Northern California, Colorado, the Southern Great Lakes areas, Southern Ontario Province, and New. In the summer months Blue Gray Gnatcatchers are common during spring and fall migration in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Birders have observed the Blue Gray Gnatcatcher in Central Park in New York City.

During the winter months the gnatcatcher migrates to Southern California, the Gulf Coast, and to North and South Carolina. Also they winter in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Guatemala and Honduras.

Voice Song is a slight, harmonious trill. When calling the gnatcatcher has a distinctive, buzzing, nasal feature.

Diet Bird watchers hear but do not see numerous classes of gnatcatchers throughout the warmer parts of both South and North America. All of the different gnatcatchers build beautiful nests that are difficult to find unless the adults are feeding their young. The parents are quite loud and noticeable, pay no attention to trespasser. These gnatcatchers are lively birds, continually wagging their long tails while gathering their main diet, insects from the branches of the surrounding foliage. Also they will eat spiders. When they do collect their food they hover,

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