Grey catbird • Dumetella carolinensis
The grey catbird is not commonly seen on the Central Coast, however this bird was spotted on Calvert Island one June. See Eric Demers' blog post discussing this appearance. Photos by Eric Demers with the VIU Bird Banding Project (left) and Brian Starzomski.
Identification
This medium-sized songbird is a fairly uniform dark grey with a black cap, a blackish tail, and a chestnut-coloured patch under the tail. It has a dark bill and dark, relatively long legs. Its common name refers to the cat-like mewing sounds that make up part of its song. The rest of the song is melodious, nasal, and sometimes squeaky. Click here to listen.
Habitat & Range
The grey catbird is usually found in fairly open areas with trees and shrubs nearby in which to perch; it is a common species but tends to stay hidden amongst shrubs and small trees. Habitats include thickets, brush, open fields, and forest edges. It may also be seen in and around residential areas, including backyards. It is not commonly seen along the Central Coast: it is found in BC in the summer, and usually only in the south of the province east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains. Click here for a BC distribution map. The grey catbird's summer range is mostly restricted to the eastern and central United States, and extends a bit into parts of southern Canada. Its winter range extends along the eastern coast into Mexico and Central America. See range map here.
Find more information at the British Columbia Breeding Bird Atlas here.
Similar Species
The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), Townsend's solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) and American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) are also medium-sized grey birds. The grey catbird's black cap and black tail are distinctive, however, and should prevent misidentification. The American dipper is also only found near rushing water, and performs a distinctive bobbing motion when on land.
Intriguing Info
This bird is somewhat secretive and tends to stay hidden in thickets and shrubbery. It avoids flying in open areas.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/14995-Dumetella-carolinensis
This medium-sized songbird is a fairly uniform dark grey with a black cap, a blackish tail, and a chestnut-coloured patch under the tail. It has a dark bill and dark, relatively long legs. Its common name refers to the cat-like mewing sounds that make up part of its song. The rest of the song is melodious, nasal, and sometimes squeaky. Click here to listen.
Habitat & Range
The grey catbird is usually found in fairly open areas with trees and shrubs nearby in which to perch; it is a common species but tends to stay hidden amongst shrubs and small trees. Habitats include thickets, brush, open fields, and forest edges. It may also be seen in and around residential areas, including backyards. It is not commonly seen along the Central Coast: it is found in BC in the summer, and usually only in the south of the province east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains. Click here for a BC distribution map. The grey catbird's summer range is mostly restricted to the eastern and central United States, and extends a bit into parts of southern Canada. Its winter range extends along the eastern coast into Mexico and Central America. See range map here.
Find more information at the British Columbia Breeding Bird Atlas here.
Similar Species
The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), Townsend's solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) and American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) are also medium-sized grey birds. The grey catbird's black cap and black tail are distinctive, however, and should prevent misidentification. The American dipper is also only found near rushing water, and performs a distinctive bobbing motion when on land.
Intriguing Info
This bird is somewhat secretive and tends to stay hidden in thickets and shrubbery. It avoids flying in open areas.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/14995-Dumetella-carolinensis
References
Dunn, J. L. and Alderfer, J. (Eds.). (1999). National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. (3rd Ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. Pp. 354-355.
Fenneman, J. Dumetella carolinensis (Linnaeus). In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.) E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 20/08/2014.
Grey Catbird. The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online. Accessed 20/08/2014.
Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis. Birds. National Audubon Society. Accessed 20/08/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Dunn, J. L. and Alderfer, J. (Eds.). (1999). National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. (3rd Ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. Pp. 354-355.
Fenneman, J. Dumetella carolinensis (Linnaeus). In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.) E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 20/08/2014.
Grey Catbird. The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online. Accessed 20/08/2014.
Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis. Birds. National Audubon Society. Accessed 20/08/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).