From Opus

Photo by Glen Tepke
male, Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Coronado National Forest, Arizona, USA, 19 May 2008

Polioptila nigriceps

[edit] Identification

Adults

• Blue-grey upperparts
• White underparts
• Long slender bill
• Tail: long and black apart from white outer tailbands on the uppertail. The white undertail shows black only along a thin vertical centre line and at the very tip
  

Males have a prominent black cap.

[edit] Similar Species

This species is very similar to the California Gnatcatcher and the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher.

[edit] Distribution

Pacific slope of Mexico from Sonora to Colima; rare but regular breeder in southeastern Arizona in the United States.

[edit] Taxonomy

Polytypic. Consists of two subspecies.

[edit] Habitat

Riparian woodlands.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet includes insects.

[edit] Breeding

Four eggs are laid in a small cup nest. Nest building and care of the young is carried out by both parents.

[edit] References

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links