Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Polioptila nigriceps
Black-capped Gnatcatcher (Polioptila nigriceps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher (Polioptila nigriceps) is a member of the Polioptilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 5.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Polioptilidae Gnatcatchers
- Genus Polioptila
- Species nigriceps
Where it lives
Southwestern USA and northwestern, western Mexico
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Polioptilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher (Polioptila nigriceps) is a member of the Polioptilidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA and nw, w Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.6 g, with a wing length of about 4.7 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 223,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-capped Gnatcatcher?
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is a very small bird that weighs around 5.6 g.
Where does the Black-capped Gnatcatcher live?
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA and nw, w Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-capped Gnatcatcher belong to?
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher (Polioptila nigriceps) belongs to the Polioptilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-capped Gnatcatcher eat?
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-capped Gnatcatcher migrate?
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-capped Gnatcatcher endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-capped Gnatcatcher make?
1 real field recording of the Black-capped Gnatcatcher — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-capped Gnatcatcher's range?
The Black-capped Gnatcatcher has a mapped global range of about 223,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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