Polioptilidae Archives

Polioptilidae - Gnatcatchers

There are 15 species of birds in this family. They are found in North America, Central America, and South America.

They are small birds with long, slender bills. Most species are a bluish-gray. They are found in open woodlands or scrubland. They eat insects.

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER

The blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) is about 4-5 inches in length and is bluish-gray on its uppersides and white on its undersides. It has a long, white-edged tail and a white ring around its eyes. It is found throughout most of the United States, including in New Hampshire.

BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER

The black-tailed gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) is about 4 inches in length and is found in the deserts of the Southwestern United States.

CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER

There is a subspecies of the California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), the coastal California gnatcatcher (Polilptila californica californica), that is found in extreme southwestern coastal California. It is designated as a threatened species in the U.S.

The black-capped gnatcatcher is found in southeastern Arizona. It is 4-5 inches in length and is bluish-gray with a black cap on its head.

Tawny-Faced Gnatwren
(Microbates cinereiventris)

The tawny-faced gnatwren is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Collared Gnatwren
(Microbates collaris)

The ccllared gnatwren is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
White-Lored Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila albiloris)

The white-lored gnatcatcher is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila caerulea)

The blue-gray gnatcatcher is found from Minnesota south to Texas and east to Maine and Florida and in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico in the U.S. It is also found in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The blue-gray gnatcatcher is found in New Hampshire. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
California Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila californica)

The California gnatcatcher is found from extreme Southern California south to the tip of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Masked Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila dumicola)

The masked gnatcatcher is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Creamy-Bellied Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila lactea)

The creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Cuban Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila lembeyei)

The Cuban gnatcatcher is found in Cuba. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Maranon Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila maior)

The Maranon gnatcatcher is found in Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila melanura)

The black-tailed gnatcatcher is found in California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Black-Capped Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila nigriceps)

The black-capped gnatcatcher is found along the coastal side of the Sierra Madre mountain range in western Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Tropical Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila plumbea)

The tropical gnatcatcher is found from southern Mexico through Central America into northern South America. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Slate-Throated Gnatcatcher
(Polioptila schistaceigula)

The slate-throated gnatcatcher is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Long-Billed Gnatwren
(Ramphocaenus melanurus)

The long-billed gnatwren is found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern