My favorite local birding spot is Manitou Lake. Many unique birds can be seen around the lake and if you hear meows coming from the wetland, it is surely a catbird and not a feline. I have seen the gray catbird a few times here and there around Teller County, even a migrant in the yard area once, but Manitou Lake is the most reliable spot as many pairs nest there. They love the willows in the wetland area, but perhaps as catbirds they are also irresistibly attracted to their “relative”, the surrounding cattails in the marsh.

Catbirds are in a group known as the mimic thrushes which includes thrashers and mockingbirds. They are all expert mimics, adding the songs and calls of other species to their repertoire. The typical song of the gray catbird is a complex musical series with occasional buzzy and squeaky phrases, but their sassy cat-like call is more likely to be noticed.

Gray catbirds are a bit smaller than a robin and are indeed gray, but also look for their black cap and rusty color under their long black tail. The sexes are similar. They prefer low elevations but will roam up into the lower mountains. Their preferred habitat is thick shrubby areas along water and during migration they can also show up in shrublands and urban areas.

Catbirds are nervous birds that often flick their tail and they can be rather noisy when digging around in the leaf litter for insects. They will also feed on berries and spiders and may show up at water features in the yard area. Gray Catbirds typically arrive in Teller County in late May and depart by early October.

Joe LaFleur studied wildlife biology and communications at Colorado State University. He is author of the book Mountain Birds of Teller County and creator of “Better Birdwatching,” a DVD series on North American birds. His betterbirdwatching.com website features a Teller County Bird Checklist and Blog. Contact him with questions and feedback at joe@betterbirdwatching.com.