Black-capped Gnatcatcher

A Black-capped Gnatcatcher is a fun bird to see while bird watching. Below are some tips to help you identify Black-capped Gnatcatchers. We have also put together a list of fun Black-capped Gnatcatcher t-shirts, Black-capped Gnatcatcher bird patches, birdhouses, bird feeders, binoculars, stickers, and other fun bird-watching items.

About Black-capped Gnatcatchers

These small songbirds are known to appear in Mexico and the Arizona border. It frequents numerous canyons in Arizona, but its erratic movements make it hard for birders to pinpoint their exact habitat. They are almost similar to other gnatcatchers in their behavior and feeding habits. Some of their distinctive features include:

Description and Identification

They have a white eyering and also flashes of white on the underside of the tail. The males of these
birds have a black cap when it is summertime.  The best time to spot this little bird is early in the
morning. This is the time where there is minimal human activity and therefore birds are all outside
as there is no noise or any disturbances otherwise and since these are desert birds, they prefer a lot
of fo silence. They can be seen easily when you walk through any dry shrubs. They stay low but they
also call quite frequently, so it will be easy for you to spot them. Their female is the non-breeding
male. Such is the case for many of these birds and how they are separated into various mating
categories.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Color Pattern

They are primarily gray with gray-white underparts and blue-gray upperparts. They have a black tail and a black cap. Their blacktails have white undertail coverts that are visible when perched. They have black legs and feet and dark brown eyes.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Size

They are tiny birds with tiny, slim, and long legs, thin bills, and long tails. Black-capped gnatcatchers are sparrow-sized but smaller than a house wren.

The relative size of both sexes

• Length range: 4.3 in (11 cm)
• Weight: 0.2 oz (6 g)
• Wingspan range: 6 in (15 cm)

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Behavior

They hover above forage picking insects and can catch insects in mid-air. They are commonly found under shrubs actively hunting for insects. When they catch large insects they beat them against a branch before devouring them. They sometimes forage on the ground hunting for small insects. They are non-migratory and prefer remaining in their territories.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Food

They mainly stick to eating a lot of insects and they do this through bushes and tiny scrubs that are
seen nearby. They may go into foliages of plants to find them or simply catch them mid-flight. These
practices that the Black-capped Gnatcher follows concerning their modes of eating. They have
followed these styles to catch their prey. They prefer to eat small insects and they require very little
water.

Their diet mainly consists of spiders, small insects, and seeds. They eat a variety of insects such as flies, ants, bees, grasshoppers, beetles, and moths. They also hunt for spiders and can supplement their diet with seeds.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Habitat

These are tiny birds that are often found in the southwestern part of the United States of America
and also in parts of Mexico. They are seen near-desert scrub and areas that are densely lined with
creosote and salt brush. They are also seen close to areas that have a lot of deposits of ocotillo,
prickly pear, and sundance of mesquite. They stay away from moist, damp areas and will build their
little nests high above and nowhere close to where these water bodies are. However, they come
down to the shrubs and little bushes to find insects to eat.

They breed across the riparian woodlands of northwestern Mexico. In summer they frequent Arizona where they usually nest. They are localized in these areas and rarely breed or thrive outside them.

Range and Migration

They are mostly seen towards deserted areas of land. They don’t need as much water, so they reside
around places close to the desert-like arid regions of the United States of America. They are usually
seen around areas that have a lot of insects as it is important for their survival. They migrate when
the monsoon kicks in. they do not handle water well. They also prefer to move away from water
bodies as they require very little water. Once the monsoon season is upon us, they move to areas
which experience much less rainfall. They should be able to keep an eye out for moist land to avoid
building a nest there.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Lifecycle

The females lay 4 eggs and incubation is by both parents and usually lasts for 14 days. Both parents feed the hatchlings and they leave the nest after 10-15 days.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Nesting

Since it is a very small songbird, it has very few specifications when it comes to everything. These
birds weigh very little, close to nickel is all. They try to find homes in areas that have very little
rainfall. Preferably 8 inches or even less than that on an annual basis. They choose to build their
nests a little further away from any water body. They prefer areas that are not very damp and moist.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Black-capped Gnatcatchers

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Black-capped Gnatcatchers are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher T-shirts

If you love the Black-capped Gnatcatcher you should purchase a Bird Watching Academy & Camp T-shirt. To help support bird conservation we donate 10 percent to bird conservation activities.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Iron On Patches

Kids, Youth, and Adults love to collect our Bird Watching Academy & Camp iron-on patches. Our bird-watching patches help you keep track of the birds you have seen and identified. You can also display the patches on our Bird Watching Academy & Camp banners.

The Black-capped Gnatcatcher is a great iron-on patch to start your collection with. The patches are durable and can be sewn on or ironed on to just about anything.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Black-capped Gnatcatcher. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders for Black-capped Gnatcatcher

There are many types of bird feeders. Here are our favorite bird feeders for your backyard. We use all of these bird feeders currently. Kids will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. Using this collection of bird feeders will provide a wide variety and many types of birds.

Best Bird Houses for Black-capped Gnatcatcher

There are many types of birdhouses. Building a birdhouse is always fun but can be frustrating. These 4 birdhouses have become our favorites. Getting a birdhouse for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. We spent a little extra money on these birdhouses but they have been worth the higher price and look great.