Home, near and far.
This species breeds across much of southern Canada and the eastern and central United States. Its wintering grounds extend through the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Birds Heard
FIELD GUIDE
FIELD GUIDE
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Grey Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
The Grey Catbird is a medium-sized songbird named for its distinctive cat-like mewing call. This adaptable bird, a relative of mockingbirds and thrashers, often remains concealed within dense shrubbery. It is renowned for its complex and varied vocalizations, which include imitations of other birds and even mechanical sounds.
MigratoryResidency: MigratorySize: MediumVoice: Mimic
Meet the neighborhood - Length
- 21-24 cm
- Wingspan
- 22-30 cm
- Weight
- 23-57 g
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
You’ll know it
when you see it.
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
- 01
Plumage
Uniform slate-gray body with a contrasting black cap and black tail feathers.
- 02
Undertail Coverts
A prominent patch of rich rufous-brown feathers located beneath the tail.
- 03
Bill and Eyes
Features a short, black bill and dark black eyes.
- 04
Tail
Long, rounded tail often held cocked or jerked expressively.
02 / A place in the world
Where life
takes it.
Grey Catbirds prefer dense, low-growing vegetation, such as shrublands, thickets, and briar tangles. They are commonly found along woodland edges, streamsides, overgrown fields, and suburban gardens, avoiding unbroken forests.
Stay a while. Or follow the season.
Grey Catbirds are migratory, typically moving south in early fall and returning north in spring. While most winter in warmer climates, some may remain in northern areas if food sources are reliable. They migrate primarily at night.
03 / Listen a little closer
A voice
of its own.
The Grey Catbird's vocalizations are highly varied, including a characteristic cat-like "mew" call. Their song is a long, rambling series of musical and harsh notes, whistles, and squeaks, often incorporating imitations of other bird species and even mechanical sounds.
04 / The life behind the feathers
A day in its world.
On the menu.
Their diet consists mainly of insects and berries. In early summer, they consume various insects like beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. In fall and winter, more than half their diet can be wild berries and some cultivated fruits.
Catbirds primarily forage on the ground in leaf litter and glean insects from vegetation. They also eat berries from shrubs and trees.
A place to begin.
The female builds a bulky, open cup nest in dense shrubs, thickets, or low trees, typically 1-3 meters above the ground. Nests are constructed from twigs, straw, bark, and mud, often lined with finer materials.
The little routines.
These birds are often secretive, moving through dense vegetation, but can be bold in the open, expressively jerking their long tails. Males are territorial during breeding season and may defend their space aggressively.
One more reason to pay attention
A familiar face.
A few surprises.
The Grey Catbird can produce over 100 different types of sounds, including mimicking tree frogs.
Males with more varied songs may be more attractive to females, indicating greater experience and survival.
Grey Catbirds often destroy the eggs of Brown-headed Cowbirds laid in their nests.
05 / An eye for the difference
Could it be
someone else?
Behind these field notesResearch & references · 12 sources
AI-assisted species research. Prepared September 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.