Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) [XC661781]
by Bobby Wilcox from Zona de Restauraci\u00f3n Laguna Grande, Baja California, Mexico (begging call, call, song)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) [XC492606]
by Lauren Harter from Salton Sea NWR headquarters, 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 íngel 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 (íngel 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 - Tiburón I, off western Sonora (north-western Mexico).