The Gray Catbird is a sleek, gray mimid named for its mewing cat-like call. It is one of few birds documented to recognize and eject cowbird eggs from its nest, identifying them by the different size and color. Its song is a long, rambling medley of squeaks, mews, whistles, and imitations, each phrase given only once — distinguishing it from the thrasher, which typically repeats each phrase twice.
Best time to see a Gray Catbird
The best time to see a Gray Catbird is April–June, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 80,021 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Gray Catbird? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Gray Catbird sightings near you
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