Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Polioptila melanura
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) is a member of the Polioptilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 5.2 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 melanura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Polioptilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) is a member of the Polioptilidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA and n Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.2 g, with a wing length of about 4.8 cm and a tail of around 5.5 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 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher?
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is a very small bird that weighs around 5.2 g.
Where does the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher live?
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA and n Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher belong to?
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) belongs to the Polioptilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher eat?
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher migrate?
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-tailed 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-tailed Gnatcatcher make?
1 real field recording of the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher's range?
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million 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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