Photo: Steve Bachman / Sbachman725 at English Wikipedia / GFDL (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Catbird
Melanoptila glabrirostris
Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris) is a member of the Mimidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 35.4 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 Mimidae Mockingbirds, Thrashers
- Genus Melanoptila
- Species glabrirostris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 35.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Mimidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Catbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Catbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris) belongs to the Mimidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA s Mexico to Honduras.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 35.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.2 cm and a tail of around 9.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 178,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Catbird?
The Black Catbird is a small bird that weighs around 35.4 g.
Where does the Black Catbird live?
The Black Catbird is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA s Mexico to Honduras, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Catbird belong to?
The Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris) belongs to the Mimidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Catbird eat?
The Black Catbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Catbird migrate?
The Black Catbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Catbird 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 Catbird make?
1 real field recording of the Black Catbird — 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 Catbird's range?
The Black Catbird has a mapped global range of about 178,000 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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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.