THE GRAY CATBIRD

 A few weeks ago, I was enjoying a Gray Catbird visiting the feeder. It was the only one enjoying the seed and came back several days in a row. Smaller and slimmer than an American robin, they measure 8 to 9 inches (20 to 23 centimeters) long.

"It is a medium-sized songbird and is commonly found across the eastern United states and the Midwest. A frequent visitor to backyards, catbirds are often heard before they are seen”, so I was very happy it decided to show itself so that I could take some relatively decent photos of it. I read “they are feisty about defending their territory, or even the occasional bird feeder, from intruders.” I saw none of this in the short time I had it in my sights, there were no other birds around at the time. Perhaps they were staying well away? Who knows!

Here are a few more facts about them: "Gray Catbirds belong to the family Mimidae, an assortment of songbirds known for their mimicry, including mockingbirds, thrashers and tremblers. Like other mimids, Gray Catbirds exhibit impressive vocal prowess, with males able to rattle off an array of phrases featuring chirps, squeaks, whistles, whines and even gurgles. When singing, performances can last more than 10 minutes and incorporate songs from other birds species, tree frog calls and even manmade and mechanical sounds."

"From March to late April, Gray Catbirds begin migrating from Mexico, Central America and the southern United States to their northern U.S. breeding grounds and up into Canada. Summer migrants start returning south in late August”.(perhaps that is what this one was doing?) “While most birds are migratory, year-round catbird populations can be found along the Atlantic seaboard from southern Massachusetts to northern Florida and over to the Gulf States."

"Catbirds are omnivores but they especially love fruit, often targeting commercial crops of blackberries, cherries, grapes and strawberries. Their habit of pecking more fruit than they eat, however, can make them unpopular with gardeners. In spring and summer, orange halves and jelly are a good way to attract catbirds - and maybe an oriole - to your yard or balcony. Of course, you can also plant native plants like elderberry and serviceberry."

"Catbirds' bodies are a uniform soft gray, with black caps and rust-red feathers under their relatively long tails. They often perch with a lowered tail and appear hunchbacked."

There is a YouTube at this link where you can hear its bird calls. And that's about all I have about my little visitor. It's all quiet out in the garden, and will be until I start filling up the bird feeders in the Fall. 

Thanks for stopping by 

and I hope your week is going great.