CA Gnatcatcher aka worlds cutest kitten bird

Question 1

What is the federal status of this bird?

Answer 1

Threatened

March 30, 1993

this status was made to take advantage of Section 4(d) rule of ESA (section 4 is declaration of species)

Question 2

What is its subspecies status?

Answer 2

Three subspecies recognized based on subtle morphological differences

Californica, pontilis, margaritae

We focus on Caiforninca (north of Ensenada)

Question 3

What is this birds distribution?

Answer 3

restricted to Baja , Mexico and coastal areas of southern CA

rather ‘scarce and irregular” populations

current loss estimated at 70-90 percent (1981)

Question 4

average territory size?

Answer 4

less than 1 ha to over 9 ha

Bird is tiny but it likes space!!

Question 5

Does it migrate?

Answer 5

Nope!

Question 6

How does it forage?

Answer 6

ground and shrub

likes insects and gets most of its water through diet

Question 7

what is is breeding habitat?

Answer 7

prefers open sage scrub with CA sagebrush

Question 8

Is this bird mongamous?

Answer 8

Yep! and likes to sing from taller shrubs

both sexes incubate (because birds don’t discriminate)

Question 9

Which bird nest parasitzes the Gnatcatcher?

Answer 9

Brown headed cowbirds

Question 10

What is the population size roughly?

Answer 10

likely exceeds 3,000 pairs and maybe as high as 5,000 pairs during years with good weather