California Gnatcatcher
Polioptila californica
The male California gnatcatcher is dusky gray overall, distinguished only by its black crown and thin black beak. It has a long, thin black tail with narrow white tips and edges on the underside of the tail feathers. However, the male loses its plumage colors by winter and obtains a plumage color similar to the females. The female is similar to the male, but with a blue-gray instead of a black crown.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Polioptila plumbea
The adult tropical gnatcatcher is 10 to 12 cm (3.9–4.7 in) long, and weighs 6 to 8 g (0.21–0.28 oz). Its "jizz" is similar to that of other gnatcatchers; a small bird with a relatively long thin bill, a long frequently cocked tail, grey upperparts and whitish underparts. The central rectrices are black, while the outer are white (consequently, the tail appears primarily black from above, white from below), and there is a white patch in the wing (caused by broad white edging to the tertials).
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: California Gnatcatcher and Tropical Gnatcatcher.