Rare grey catbird spotted in Sisters

Norma Funai, who resides with her husband, Arnold, out near Indian Ford Meadow, reported a grey catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, drinking warm water out of the hot tub in their backyard last week.

She was quite excited about the observation, as catbirds in this part of Oregon are rare.

Try as she might, however, obtaining a photo of the rare bird was not in the cards. Even though it was close to her kitchen window, it was impossible to get a photo. A photo is required to prove to the birding community that the bird was where she said it was, thus making it "official."

In contrast to most songbirds that choose a prominent perch from which to sing their territorial songs, the catbird most often elects to sing its scolding-like meowing call (hence the name, "catbird") from inside a bush or small tree.

That particular technique for letting the rest of the bird world know where it is provided its genus name, Dumetella, which is Latin for "thorny thicket." The species name carolinensis is "from the Carolinas" where it was first described for science.

Catbirds are not on the endangered species list, and can be found regularly all over most of temperate North America, but in Oregon their normal range is limited to a tiny area northeast of La Grande.

Tom Crabtree, long-time Central Oregon birder, said that a few years back a catbird was seen hanging around Aspen Hall in Bend most of the summer, and may even have attempted to breed.

If you go looking for the catbird in the birding field guides, you'll find it in with the mockingbirds and thrashers, because of the mimicking, cat-like call. Further, if you do get a close look at the catbird you'll see that it has a bill more like a flycatcher then mockingbird or thrasher. That's because insects are their main prey; however, insects around Sisters this time of year are just not common. Even snowfleas are hard to find, as are snowy tree crickets and snow scorpions, so catbirds are migratory.

If you see the bird coming to your feeder or hot tub, obtain a photo and/or contact Jim Anderson at 388-1659.