Photo by: USFWS
Coastal California Gnatcatcher
Polioptila californica californica
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Federally Threatened; Specials of Special Concern in CA
(fws.gov)
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U.S. Endangered Species Act
(fws.gov)
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Their main threats include habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to urban and agricultural development. Livestock grazing, off-road vehicles, pesticides, invading non-native grasses, and military training activities are all examples of these disturbances (biologicaldiversity.org).
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These birds’ locations range from California’s Ventura County and down south to Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. They also extend more south in Baja California, Mexico (fws.gov).
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This bird is found in coastal sage scrub habitats with low growing succulent plants and dry-season deciduous plants. Coastal California gnatcatchers are non-migratory and are found to defend their territories during breeding season against predators and other birds. They breed from late February to early August and nests are built about 3 feet above the ground on the coastal sage scrub plants. Their diet consists of insects and spiders primarily (fws.gov).
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Research into how habitat loss could affect plant proportions and therefore insect communities may help understand how this can negatively impact their food resources.
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There is no official recovery plan for this species; however, there is an article regarding federal agencies and their contribution toward conserving the coastal California gnatcatcher: Federal Agencies Partner to Conserve Coastal California Gnatcatcher (fws.gov)
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Coastal California gnatcatchers are small and nonmigratory birds. They have apparent dark blue-gray feathers on the back with a grayish-white belly and white rings around the eyes. They have a long, black tail and a thin, small bill. During breeding season, males can be seen with a black cap (fws.gov). This gnatcatcher may get confused with a black-tailed gnatcatcher; however, these have more heavily whitened outer tail feathers and well as slightly flatter head. Their calls also differ, as the California gnatcatcher has catlike sounds while the black-tailed gnatcatcher has a harsher call (allaboutbirds.org).
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