Gray Catbird
Gray Catbird
Description: Gray overall, with darker cap. Reddish brown vent, lightly curved bill and a long tail.
Nest: Bulky cup of twigs, leaves, coarse plant stems, shredded grape vine bark, and grass. Typically lined with rootlets. Leaves make up the most of the foundation. These birds seem to have an affinity for man made materials. Plastic, string, tarp fibers and similar items. Even nests found far from houses have plastic or other trash such as balloon ribbons. Placed in a dense shrub or tangle of vines. Most common shrub is honeysuckle. This species has benefited from the invasive bush as the berries act as a source of food and the shrub itself, a frequent nesting area. Other shrubs include hawthorn, arrow wood, dogwood and meadowsweet. Also in raspberries or blackberries. Nest is rarely more than six feet above the ground.
Eggs: 3 - 5 dark bluish - green eggs
Diet: Insects, spiders and a variety of fruits; especially honeysuckle. Forages by moving through foliage and searching for prey.
Habitat: Shrubby meadows, thickets, hedgerows, along waterways such as streams and rivers, and woodland edges.
Nest: Bulky cup of twigs, leaves, coarse plant stems, shredded grape vine bark, and grass. Typically lined with rootlets. Leaves make up the most of the foundation. These birds seem to have an affinity for man made materials. Plastic, string, tarp fibers and similar items. Even nests found far from houses have plastic or other trash such as balloon ribbons. Placed in a dense shrub or tangle of vines. Most common shrub is honeysuckle. This species has benefited from the invasive bush as the berries act as a source of food and the shrub itself, a frequent nesting area. Other shrubs include hawthorn, arrow wood, dogwood and meadowsweet. Also in raspberries or blackberries. Nest is rarely more than six feet above the ground.
Eggs: 3 - 5 dark bluish - green eggs
Diet: Insects, spiders and a variety of fruits; especially honeysuckle. Forages by moving through foliage and searching for prey.
Habitat: Shrubby meadows, thickets, hedgerows, along waterways such as streams and rivers, and woodland edges.