Possessing understated beauty, the Gray Catbird (9 in.) is a looker in its own right. Its features make it easy to identify. It has an overall color of slate gray with black eyes, legs and beak.  A closer look will reveal a black cap and a long tail that starts as gray but ends as black.  If you get a good look at the bird, which can be difficult because of its secretive nature, you will see a reddish-brown patch under its tail.  Both sexes look the same.

Considered a mimic thrush, it is related to the Mockingbird and the Brown Thrasher, but unlike them, it does not repeat the songs of other birds.  I personally have nothing against Mockingbirds, but there have been many a day and night when I wish the bird would go away; the sheer volume and repetitiveness of its song gets me a little crazy. I enjoy the song of the Catbird. Its notes are short and perky, although it too can go on for quite a while. If you are wondering why it is called a Catbird, listen carefully and you will hear a call that sounds like the meow of a cat, making the bird all the more intriguing in my book.

If your interest is peaked and you are wondering where to find this clever bird, look in brambles and dense underbrush and bushes or tree thickets covered in vines.  You may have to work to find one, but it will be worth the effort.  I am thrilled this year that one has been singing in my cherry tree, which means his nest can’t be too far away.  Because its reclusive nature and dark coloring makes it hard to find visually, follow instead the sound of its song or meowing call. 

For more information on the Gray Catbird, visit these sites: