Bird Guide

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher vs Masked Gnatcatcher

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

Tiny6 gWoodland

It is 10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in) in length, 6.3 in (16 cm) in wingspan, and weighing only 5–7 g (0.18–0.25 oz). Adult males are blue-gray on the upperparts with white underparts, slender dark bill, and a long black tail edged in white. Females are less blue, while juveniles are greenish-gray. Both sexes have a white eye ring. Voice: The songs (and calls) are often heard on breeding grounds, (usually away from nest) and occasionally heard other times of the year. Calls: "zkreee, zkreee, zkreee", Songs: "szpree zpree spreeeeey spree spre sprzrreeeee"

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dawn Beattie from Morro Bay, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0
Masked Gnatcatcher (Polioptila dumicola)

Masked Gnatcatcher

Polioptila dumicola

Tiny7 gWoodland

The masked gnatcatcher is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 5 to 7 g (0.18 to 0.25 oz), larger than most other gnatcatchers. The nominate male has a large black mask with a thin white line below it. Its forehead, crown, nape, and upperparts are blue-gray. Its tail is mostly black with white outer feathers. Its throat is pale gray fading to whitish on the belly. The nominate female does not have a mask but instead a black crescent down from the eye. Its upperparts are duller and not as bluish. P. d. Voice: The nominate masked gnatcatcher's loudsong is "variable, short, sweet and musical" . P. d. berlepschi's loudsong is quite different: . The species also has a variety of calls .

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Fornés Sebastián Fornés · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and Masked Gnatcatcher.