Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 3.9–4.3 in
10–11 cm - Wingspan
- 6.3 in
16 cm - Weight
- 0.2–0.2 oz
5–7 g
Other Names
- Gobemoucherons Gris-bleu (French)
- Perlita Común, Perlita Grisilla (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is the northernmost-occurring species of gnatcatcher, and the only truly migratory one. Most members of its genus are resident in the Neotropics.
- The soft, rambling song of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher usually contains some mimicked songs of other bird species.
Habitat
Forest
Breeds in variety of deciduous wooded habitats from shrubland to mature forest, especially near water.
Food
Insects
Small insects and spiders.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- Pale blue with some small dark spots.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless.
Nest Description
Open cup with high walls, made of spider webbing or caterpillar silk, covered with lichens or bark flakes. Lined with grass stems, bark strips, plant down, hair, feathers, or other fine fibers. Placed far out from trunk on tree limbs.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Feeds near tips of branches, constantly moving through foliage. Moves tail continuously, which may flush insects.
Conservation
Least Concern
Expanded breeding range northward over last century. Common, with no significant population increases or decreases.
Credits
- Ellison, Walter G. 1992. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea). In The Birds of North America, No. 23 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.