Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Polioptila melanura Lawrence, 1857

5.2 gWeight

The black-tailed gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) is a small, insectivorous bird which ranges throughout the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Busiest months: December–January and March · Most records: United States, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher has been recorded at 56 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Henderson Bird Viewing PreserveUnited States7,887 records
  2. Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States5,394 records
  3. Sabino Dam and downstream riparianUnited States3,746 records
More places
  1. Catalina SPUnited States2,542 records
  2. Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR – Union Tract / Visitor CenterUnited States2,180 records
  3. Tres Rios Overbank WetlandsUnited States2,012 records
  4. Desert Botanical GardenUnited States1,994 records
  5. Veterans Oasis ParkUnited States1,987 records
  6. El Rio Open Space PreserveUnited States1,984 records
  7. Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water RanchUnited States1,984 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesMexico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-tailed gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) is a small, insectivorous bird which ranges throughout the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is nonmigratory and found in arid desert areas year-round.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher?

The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher weighs around 5.2 g.

Where does the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: southwestern USA and northern Mexico. It is most often recorded in United States and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, March and December (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher as Least Concern.

What does the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher in?

It belongs to the family Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
5.2 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
48 mm
Tail
55 mm
Bill
11 mm
Tarsus
16 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America: southwestern USA and northern Mexico

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae
Genus
Polioptila

Other birds in the genus Polioptila

Rio Negro GnatcatcherRio Negro GnatcatcherPolioptila facilisGuianan GnatcatcherGuianan GnatcatcherPolioptila guianensisSlate-throated GnatcatcherSlate-throated GnatcatcherPolioptila schistaceigulaPara GnatcatcherPara GnatcatcherPolioptila paraensisIquitos GnatcatcherIquitos GnatcatcherPolioptila clementsiInambari GnatcatcherInambari GnatcatcherPolioptila attenboroughiTropical GnatcatcherTropical GnatcatcherPolioptila plumbeaMaranon GnatcatcherMaranon GnatcatcherPolioptila maiorCreamy-bellied GnatcatcherCreamy-bellied GnatcatcherPolioptila lacteaMasked GnatcatcherMasked GnatcatcherPolioptila dumicolaCuban GnatcatcherCuban GnatcatcherPolioptila lembeyeiYucatan GnatcatcherYucatan GnatcatcherPolioptila albiventris
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by samzhang. ↗

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