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Catbirds are particularly aggressive backyard birds. In fact, their name gives away a little about their behavior. Catbirds hide in shrubbery and make cat-like noises to warn off predators and other birds.
Consider the gray catbird: the tropical long-distance migrant that may well be nesting in your backyard this summer. Gray catbirds are common, so you may not pay them much attention. But look into the research, and you’ll find that this backyard bird is full of surprises. Let’s take a closer look.
Gray Catbirds are known for their aggressive behavior when defending their territory. They will fiercely defend their nest and young from other birds and animals, often engaging in physical fights to protect their young.
Gray Catbirds are adept at avoiding brood parasitism by quickly puncturing and ejecting foreign eggs from the nest. Research suggests that female catbirds learn to recognize their own clutch by closely observing their first egg laid and rejecting any others that look different.
Many birds will panic at the sight of a predator, such as a cat, hawk, owl or snake. This is not true of the catbird, who responds to predators in an aggressive manner. The use of standard predator-based bird repellents, such as plastic owls or rubber snakes, is not recommended.
They are aggressive neighbors and have been observed destroying eggs and nestlings of other bird species, including Vesper Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and American Robin. Scientists are not sure whether this behavior stems from competitiveness or is merely opportunistic foraging.
As the breeding season arrives, the pair becomes even more aggressive towards intruders. Reproduction of the Catbird. Female Catbirds do most of the nest building, while the males collect and bring back twigs, grass, mud, and other materials. She lays an average of four eggs per clutch, and incubates them for about two weeks.
The Catbird is known to defend its territory from other birds, while the Mockingbird may be more tolerant of other bird species in its vicinity. Catbird Habitat. The Catbird prefers wooded areas with dense shrubbery and thickets, such as forest edges, overgrown fields, and parks with mature trees.
Climate Threats Facing the Gray Catbird. Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
Nearly all birds will display aggressive behavior when they perceive a threat to their nest or young. Birds that nest in close proximity to people; the Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, Gray Catbird, and Blue Jay, are the most frequent assailants, and the mockingbird is without a doubt the most zealous—harassing, people, domestic animals ...