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Polioptila californica californica

Brewster, 1881

Coastal California Gnatcatcher

T3T3 (G4G5T3Q) Found in 36 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
T3T3Global Rank
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103899
Element CodeABPBJ08081
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSubspecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyPolioptilidae
GenusPolioptila
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1957. The AOU check-list of North American birds, 5th ed. Port City Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD. 691 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Genetic data indicate that recognition of subspecies in P. californica is not warranted (Zink et al. 2000). However, USFWS (2010) found Zink et al. (2000) did not constitute sufficient information to disregard the existing taxonomy and that this taxon should therefore be recognized as a distinct subspecies.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2018-12-31
Change Date2018-12-31
Edition Date2018-12-31
Edition AuthorsMcIntyre, P. and N. Sears
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 300
Rank Reasons
This species has declined in range and abundance in the northern end of the range in southern California, due mainly to loss and fragmentation of habitat by urban/residential development. Standardized, rangewide population trends and occupancy estimates for the coastal California gnatcatcher (within the United States or Mexico) are not available at this time given the limited and incomplete survey information as well as the variability in the survey methods and reporting (USFWS 2016).
Range Extent Comments
The range of the gnatcatcher is coastal southern California and northwestern Baja California, Mexico, from southern Ventura and San Bernardino Counties, California, south to approximately El Rosario, Mexico, at about 30 degrees north latitude. Historically, the range of the gnatcatcher extended farther east than it does today, in the vicinity the San Gorgonio Pass (USFWS 2010 and sources cited therein). In California, the range extent is 25,000 sq km based on California Natural Diversity Database records (accessed Sept. 2017). Cooper et al. (2017) concluded that the California Gnatcatcher population that once existed from the lower Santa Clara River Valley in Ventura County east/upstream to Santa Paula and Simi Valley has likely contracted to the southeast, and that the current, consistent range of the species in Los Angeles County does not extend north of the San Gabriel Valley. USFWS (2016) estimate 56 percent of the range is in the United States and 44 percent of the range is in Baja California, Mexico.

Range information in Baja California is not well defined, as detailed survey data are not available (USFWS 2010).
Occurrences Comments
There are 21-80 occurrences in California based on California Natural Diversity Database records (accessed Sept. 2017). Number of occurrences in Baja California is unknown.
Threat Impact Comments
High threats from habitat loss and modification from development, as well as fragmentation and fire.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A very small, long-tailed bird with a small slender bill; blue-gray above, dull gray below; breeding male has a black cap; narrow white eye ring; tail mostly black (NGS 1983, Peterson 1990).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Differs from the other subspecies in darker body plumage, less extensive white on the tail feathers (rectrices 5 and 6), and longer tail (Atwood 1991).

Habitat

Several distinctive subassociations of the coastal sage scrub plant community, especially those dominated by Artemisia californica (Atwood 1992). Generally avoids crossing even small areas of unsuitable habitat (Atwood 1992). Dry coastal slopes, washes, and mesas; areas of low plant growth (about 1 m high). Nests in shrubs.

Ecology

See files for full species.

Reproduction

See files for full species.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (36)
California (36)
AreaForestAcres
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Cahuilla MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,952
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
San Mateo CanyonCleveland National Forest65
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Sespe - FrazierLos Padres National Forest106,910
Sheep MountainAngeles National Forest21,098
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
West ForkAngeles National Forest1,169
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
References (20)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1957. The AOU check-list of North American birds, 5th ed. Port City Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD. 691 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1989. Thirty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Checklist of North American birds. Auk 106:532-538.
  3. Atwood, J. L. 1988. Speciation and geographic variation in black-tailed gnatcatchers. Ornithol. Monogr. No. 42. v + 74 pp.
  4. Atwood, J. L. 1991. Subspecies limits and geographic patterns of morphological variation in California gnatcatchers (<i>Polioptila californica</i>). Bull. Southern California Academy of Science 90:118-133.
  5. Atwood, J. L. 1992. A closer look: California gnatcatcher. Birding, August, pp. 228-239.
  6. Biosystems Analysis, Inc. 1989. Endangered Species Alert Program Manual: Species Accounts and Procedures. Southern California Edison Environmental Affairs Division.
  7. Colwell, M.A., E.J. Feucht, M.J. Lau, D.J. Orluck, S.E. McAllister and A.N. Transou. 2017. Recent Snowy Plover population increase arises from high immigration rate in coastal northern California. Wader Study 124(1): 000–000.
  8. Cooper, D. S., J. Mongolo, and C. Dellith. 2017. Status of the California gnatcatcher at the northern edge of its range. Western Birds 48:124–140.
  9. Dunn, J. L., and K. L. Garrett. 1987. The identification of North American gnatcatchers. Birding 19(1):17-29.
  10. D'Urban Jackson, J., M.W. Bruford, T. Székely, J.M. DaCosta, M.D. Sorenson, I.R.M. Russo, K.H. Maher, M. Cruz-López, D. Galindo-Espinosa, E. Palacios, and A.E. De Sucre-Medrano. 2020. Population differentiation and historical demography of the threatened snowy plover <i>Charadrius nivosus</i> (Cassin, 1858). Conservation Genetics 21(3): 387-404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-020-01256-8
  11. Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1992. Birds in Jeopardy: the Imperiled and Extinct Birds of the United States and Canada, Including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 259 pp.
  12. National Geographic Society (NGS). 1983. Field guide to the birds of North America. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.
  13. Peterson, R. T. 1990b. A field guide to western birds. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 432 pp.
  14. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1995. Notice of determination to retain the Threatened status for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher under the Endangered Species Act. Federal Register 60(58):15693-15699.
  15. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2000. Proposed determination of critical habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher. Federal Register 65:5946-5976.
  16. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2009. Estimation of San Diego County California Gnatcatcher Population Size and Recovery Following the 2003 October Wildfires. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, CA. https://sdmmp.com/upload/projects/20160330_2357_149.pdf
  17. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2010. Coastal California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, CA. 51 pp. https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/tess/species_nonpublish/1683.pdf
  18. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2016. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; 12-Month finding on a petition to delist the coastal California gnatcatcher. Federal Register 81(169):59952-59975.
  19. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2020. 5-Year Review: Coastal California gnatcatcher (<i>Polioptila californica californica</i>). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, Carlsbad, CA. https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/tess/species_nonpublish/3451.pdf
  20. Winchell, C.S., and P. F. Doherty. 2018. Restoring habitat for coastal California Gnatcatchers (<i>Polioptila californica californica</i>) The Condor 120(3):581-595.