Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Polioptila melanura

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

11 cm (4-5") Common. Southwestern United States. Desert shrubs, washes and ravines.

Very similar to Blue-gray Gnatcatcher but is mostly black under the tail. Blue-gray's undertail is mostly white. Also breeding males have a black cap.

Song: series of rapid "jee" notes.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Nonbreeding male based on the black "eyebrow." Henderson, Nevada - January 2, 2009

Credit: J. N. Stuart

Watch and learn

Videos

3 videos

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher l Sweetwater Wetlands l Tucson Arizona

Credit: Birding Visions Cinema | Clive Bramham

Black-Tailed Gnatcatchers Building a Nest

Credit: Joel Pearson

Black-capped Gnatcatcher (Polioptila nigriceps) female

Credit: Matthew Brown

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 3

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:700-black-tailed-gnatcatcher:1:1 Source: 700 Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher, row 1

Rule 2 5 criteria confidence 3

What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ?: Pointing upward or cocked over its back
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Open body of freshwater · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:700-black-tailed-gnatcatcher:2:1 Source: 700 Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher, row 2