Slate-throated gnatcatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slate-throated gnatcatcher |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Polioptilidae |
| Genus: | Polioptila |
| Species: |
P. schistaceigula
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| Binomial name | |
| Polioptila schistaceigula Hartert, 1898
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The slate-throated gnatcatcher (Polioptila schistaceigula) is a small, active bird. It belongs to a family of birds called Polioptilidae, which are known for being very tiny. You can find this bird living in the warm, humid forests of Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
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Meet the Slate-throated Gnatcatcher
This little bird is about 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long, which is roughly the length of a pen. It weighs around 6 g (0.21 oz), which is super light, like a few paper clips!
Its head and back are a pretty slate gray color, which means a dark, dull gray. The gray is a bit darker on its back. Its cheeks are a lighter whitish color. The throat and chest are a sooty gray, almost blackish, which gives the bird its name. Its belly and sides are white. The tail is mostly black, but the feathers on the very outside have some white on them. Both male and female gnatcatchers look alike, so it can be hard to tell them apart!
Where Do They Live?
The slate-throated gnatcatcher lives in a part of the world that stretches from central and eastern Panama, down through western Colombia, and into northwestern Ecuador.
These birds love humid forests. They live in primary forest (forests that haven't been disturbed much by humans) and also in mature secondary forest (forests that have grown back after being cut down). You can often find them along the edges of these forests. They usually live in areas up to about 750 m (2,460 ft) above sea level.
What Do They Eat?
We don't know a lot about what the slate-throated gnatcatcher eats specifically. But like other gnatcatchers, they probably munch on small arthropods. Arthropods are tiny creatures like insects and spiders.
These birds are very active when they look for food. They move quickly through the tops of the trees and the layers just below the treetops. At the edges of the forest, they might fly lower. Sometimes, you'll see them joining groups of different bird species that are all looking for food together. They might join these groups alone or with a partner.
Sounds of the Gnatcatcher
The slate-throated gnatcatcher has a special sound it makes most often. It's a short, quiet, rising trill that sounds like "trrrrrrt" [1]. They also have another sound, which is a nasal "mewing" call [2].
Images for kids
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A close-up of the slate-throated gnatcatcher.
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Map showing where the slate-throated gnatcatcher lives.
 | Delilah Pierce |
 | Gordon Parks |
 | Augusta Savage |
 | Charles Ethan Porter |
