The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher — Old World Warbler Family — Sylviidæ
Length: About 4½ inches.
Male: Bluish-gray above; grayish white below; forehead black, black line over the eye; slender, curving bill; wings dark gray, edged with grayish-white; tail long, outer tail-feathers nearly all white; middle tail-feathers black; tail elevated and lowered frequently.
Female: Similar to male, but without the black forehead; line over eye indistinct.
Call-note: A nasal tang.
Song: A delightful song,—sweet, but not strong.
Habitat: Woodlands, where it usually frequents treetops.
Range: Southeastern United States. Breeds from eastern Nebraska, southern Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario, southwestern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and southern New Jersey to southern Texas and central Florida; winters from northern Florida to the West Indies and central America; casual in Minnesota, New England, and New York.
This dainty little sprite partakes of the qualities of a number of birds. Like the warblers, it is insectivorous and inhabits treetops; like its relative, the ruby-crowned kinglet, it has a finished and wonderful song; like the wrens it has a habit of cocking its tail nervously; while its long black and white tail reminds one of the mockingbird. It is an especially pretty sight, fluttering about the moss-hung trees of Florida.