Earlier this fall I was privileged to be visited by a grey catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) on its way south for the winter. It hung around for about two weeks and I was hoping it might stay, but I guess it was just taking a break. Having a catbird on the property was a first for me, so of course it was very exciting. For the first few days I didn’t see the bird, just heard its distinctive cat-like calls. Then it started coming out of the brush and grabbing a mealworm or two. Before long, though, it got used to my being around and helped itself to whatever it wanted from the feeding station. It came out pretty much every day, and then it was gone. Some catbirds do winter in Florida, but I guess this one wanted an even warmer winter climate.

Grey catbirds breed in most of the eastern United States north of Georgia and into southern Canada. They are usually found in open areas with lots of dense underbrush which includes forest edges, scrublands, and overgrown farms or pastures. They are omnivores that eat mainly insects during the summer and add fruits and berries during the fall and winter. The female usually builds a nest either in the scrub or 1-3 feet off the ground. She lays between 1-6 eggs (usually 3-4), which she incubates by herself. The male does help out with feeding the young once they hatch. The couple usually raise two clutches each summer. The young are fed almost exclusively insects, although birds in wet areas may also catch small fish.

In September and October catbirds, also sometimes known as slate colored mockingbirds, begin their migration to their winter homes which includes the southeastern United States, Mexico, and most of the Caribbean islands. They do most of their traveling at night and rest and feed during the day. It’s not unusual for them to stop along the way for longer rests if there is ample food in an area. For the most part these birds are doing well or even slowly expanding their populations because of their willingness to live in fairly close association with people. They tend to be under observed, though, thanks to their preference for scrubby habitat. Although the bird this year only stayed a short while, I’m hopeful that it or others will visit again in years to come and maybe even decide to stay for the winter. But either way, I’m glad to have gotten to see and observe this gorgeous bird and to have helped it keep up its energy on its travels.