The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, is a small songbird which ranges from the east coast of North America to the southwest United States and Mexico. They are seen as far north as Ontario. They migrate farther south into Central America and the islands of the Caribbean.
They are small songbirds which, as the name implies, are active hunters of insects. They are fairly common in their range in bushes and deciduous trees.
Classification:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Polioptilidae
Genus: Polioptila
Species: P. caerulea
Photos:
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
"Cape May, New Jersey My Flickr and now good friend Omar, who is viisting the USA from Iceland with his wonderful wife Audur, joined me in watching a pair of Blue-Gray Gantcatchers build this wonderful nest approximately 50′ above the ground. Omar and Audur’s son, Hlynur, who now lives in Pa., also joined us. The tiny Gnatcatchers moved very quickly and worked extremely hard to fashion this delicate and beatiful nest from strands of reeds, lichen and leaves. Their "glue" was resin from pine trees!!! Thank you Brian at CMBO for the correct ID!"
Photo courtesy of William Dalton
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila_caerulea)
"Blue-gray Gnatcatcher hover-gleaning at Chapel Trail Nature Center, Pembroke Pines, Florida."
Photo courtesy of kenschneiderusa
