Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
California Gnatcatcher
Polioptila californica
California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) is a member of the Polioptilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 5.8 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 californica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Polioptilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The California 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 California Gnatcatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) 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 Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.8 g, with a wing length of about 4.7 cm and a tail of around 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 136,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the California Gnatcatcher?
The California Gnatcatcher is a very small bird that weighs around 5.8 g.
Where does the California Gnatcatcher live?
The California Gnatcatcher is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA and nw Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the California Gnatcatcher belong to?
The California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) belongs to the Polioptilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the California Gnatcatcher eat?
The California Gnatcatcher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the California Gnatcatcher migrate?
The California Gnatcatcher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the California 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 California Gnatcatcher make?
1 real field recording of the California 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 California Gnatcatcher's range?
The California Gnatcatcher has a mapped global range of about 136,000 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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