18 June 2025
We are inclined to take grey catbirds with no consideration however listed here are some cool info you may not know. As an example:
- Grey catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) are monotypic, the one species of their genus. The catbird’s genus title Dumetella means “small thorny thicket” a reference to his behavior of singing from inside thorny thickets as a substitute of from a distinguished perch.
- Women and men look alike apart from delicate variations. You’ll want each birds in a breeding pair to match.
Sexes present related appearances in all plumages, though females common duller than males and common less-extensive rufous on longest undertail coverts.
- Grey catbirds spend all yr in some components of the U.S. (see purple areas under) however most of us see them solely within the breeding season. In Pittsburgh they usually arrive in late April and depart in mid October.
- Catbirds use their sense of scent to search out their method on migration(!) as described on this classic article: Sniffing Their Manner North.
- They nest in the course of thickets and lay turquoise blue eggs.
- Catbirds are hardly ever parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds as a result of they acknowledge cowbird eggs of their nests and kick them out. Observe the colour! described on this classic article Cat Versus Cow.
- Male catbirds are jazzmen! Their track is an improvisation relatively than a direct imitation. Learn extra at: Virtuoso
Right here’s the catbird’s track:
And right here’s his “meow.”
Take pleasure in his track this month. He’ll cease singing quickly.
