Dumetella carolinensis
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), also spelled grey catbird, is a medium-sized North American and Central American perching bird of the mimid family. It is the only member of the "catbird" genus Dumetella. Like the black catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris), it is among the basal lineages of the Mimidae, probably a closer relative of the Caribbean thrasher and trembler assemblage than of the mockingbirds and Toxostoma thrashers. In some areas it is known as the slate-colored mockingbird.
The name Dumetella is based upon the Latin term dūmus ("thorny thicket"); it thus means approximately "small thornbush-dweller" or "small bird of the thornbushes". It refers to the species' habit of singing when hidden in undergrowth. The specific name carolinensis is Neo-Latin for "from the Carolinas".
The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1766 edition of Systema Naturae. His original name Muscicapa carolinensis reflected the belief, widespread at that time, that the gray catbird was some sort of Old World flycatcher (presumably due to its remarkably plain coloration, not similar to other mimids).
The genus name has a convoluted nomenclatorial history. The monotypic... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Toronto Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Fort Worth Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Catbird sighting in Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 251 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 84th most-seen of the 297 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Catbird in Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in June to September, the lowest months. That is one of Celestún Biosphere Reserve's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain against 160 mm in June.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gray Catbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
23rd of 53
Of the 53 parks where we can rate Gray Catbird sightings, Celestún Biosphere Reserve ranks 23rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 60%), Everglades National Park (United States, about 60%) and Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (Belize, about 50%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gray Catbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Celestún Biosphere Reserve (251 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
