Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura)

Other Names (World)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Plumbeous Gnatcatcher

Family
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)

Size
10 cm

First Described (Guide)
Lawrence, 1857

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland dry shrubland. From sea-level - 800 m, occasionally to 2,100 m.

Range (Guide)

Mexico, USA (B).

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 4,000,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (26)...)

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) [XC238510]
by Patrick Turgeon from Pima Canyon, United States (begging call, bill snapping of adult male)

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) [XC305465]
by Bobby Wilcox from Clark's Dry Lake, Borrego Springs, San Diego County, California, United States (call)

Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), and previously treated as conspecific. Racial affiliation of birds recorded on islands of �ngel de la Guarda, Coronado and San Esteban uncertain, tentatively included in lucida. Further study is required.

The following 3 subspecies are recognised:

lucida van Rossem, 1931 - South-western USA (extreme southern Nevada, south-eastern California, central Arizona) south to extreme north-western Mexico (north-eastern Baja California near San Felipe), also Gulf of California islands (�ngel de la Guarda, Coronado, San Esteban).
melanura Lawrence, 1857 - Extreme southern USA (south-western New Mexico, southern Texas) southern on Mexican Plateau to Guanajuato, south-western Tamaulipas and west-central Hidalgo, possibly to northern Jalisco.
curtata van Rossem, 1932 - Tibur�n I, off western Sonora (north-western Mexico).

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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