His lunch, not mine.

This Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) was one of two bird shots I managed to capture during a 90-minute visit to and hike around the Wahkeena Nature Preserve in southeastern Ohio. This one proved elusive; Merlin identified him early on but it took me more than an hour to finally spot one among the rustle and commotion. And longer still to get a few shots. I have to get better at this.

Briefly:

• Size: Approximately 21-24cm in length with a wingspan of 22-30cm.
• Habitat: Prefers dense shrubs and thickets, often found near water sources; commonly inhabits wooded areas, parks, and gardens.
• Range: Breeds across North America, from southern Canada to the eastern and central United States, migrates to the southern U.S. and Central America for winter.

And a bit more:

• Gray Catbird at Birds of the World
• Gray Catbird at BirdLife DataZone
• Gray Catbird at eBird
• Gray Catbird at Avibase
• Gray Catbird at Wikipedia
• Gray Catbird at iNaturalist

Photos from 15 August, 2025. Post last updated on 30 August, 2025.