Birds Guide

Gnatcatchers
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Polioptilidae Baird, 1858
Genera
Microbates Ramphocaenus Polioptila

The 15 species of small passerine birds in the gnatcatcher family occur in North and South America. Most species of this mainly tropical and sub-tropical group are resident, but the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher of the USA and southern Canada migrates south in winter.

These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their structure and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers and gnatwrens are mainly soft bluish grey in colour, and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill.

They are birds of fairly open woodland or scrub, and nest in bushes or trees.

A species new to science, the Iquitos Gnatcatcher Polioptila clementsi was first described in 2005.

• Family Polioptilidae
  • Collared Gnatwren, Microbates collaris
    Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Microbates cinereiventris
    Long-billed Gnatwren, Ramphocaenus melanurus
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea
    Cuban Gnatcatcher, Polioptila lembeyei
    California Gnatcatcher, Polioptila californica
    Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Polioptila melanura
    Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Polioptila nigriceps
    White-lored Gnatcatcher, Polioptila albiloris
    Maranon Gnatcatcher, Polioptila maranonica
    Guianan Gnatcatcher, Polioptila guianensis
    Iquitos Gnatcatcher, Polioptila clementsi
    Tropical Gnatcatcher, Polioptila plumbea
    Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher, Polioptila lactea
    Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Polioptila schistaceigula
    Masked Gnatcatcher, Polioptila dumicola

External links

• Gnatcatcher videos on the Internet Bird Collection