Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

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Identification

Field notes

10-13 cm (4-5") Common through most of United States; northen range enters southern Ontario. Open moist deciduous woodlands and brushy stream side thickets; residential areas, parks.

Tiny active bird with a fly-catching habit.

Blue-gray upperparts; white underparts. Thin white eye ring. White-edged long tail is mostly black above and white below.

Tail often cocked and twitched up and down.

Song: buzzy wheezy warbles; high nasal "zeeee" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

2 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Credit: Larry Bond

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 4 rules

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

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

4 rules

Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 1

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Blue · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:697-blue-gray-gnatcatcher:1:1 Source: 697 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 5

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Blue · 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 ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:697-blue-gray-gnatcatcher:2:1 Source: 697 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, row 2

Rule 3 6 criteria confidence 1

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
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 ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:697-blue-gray-gnatcatcher:3:1 Source: 697 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, row 3

Rule 4 6 criteria confidence 5

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
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 ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:697-blue-gray-gnatcatcher:4:1 Source: 697 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, row 4