California Gnatcatcher
California Gnatcatcher has edged down: down 15% on the route-weighted index since 1974.
About the California Gnatcatcher
The California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) is a North American member of the Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 4–5 in long (10–13 cm) — a tiny, long-tailed songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 8 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the Coastal California.
- Family
- Polioptilidae · Forest birds
Notable California Gnatcatcher Trends
No notable trend signals for California Gnatcatcher. See the full index history below.
California Gnatcatcher Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, California Gnatcatcher is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.00). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±56.9%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2028 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2029 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Where the California Gnatcatcher Is Detected
BBS routes recording California Gnatcatcher, sized by most recent count.
California Gnatcatcher Population Trend by State
| California | +58% | 1974 | 8 |
California Gnatcatcher Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Coastal California | +88% | 1974 | 8 |
California Gnatcatcher Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 15% since 1974.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.