Gray Catbirds in Louisiana
When catbirds are present in Louisiana, when they nest, which native Louisiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 8a–10a yard.
- Status in Louisiana
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 8a–10a
When to expect catbirds in Louisiana
Gray Catbirds live in Louisiana all year. Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward winters along the gulf and in central america.
Humid subtropical, with coastal marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and piney uplands in the north.
Nesting in Louisiana
Across Louisiana, catbirds typically nest from April–July. Nest site: bulky cup deep in dense thickets or vines. Females lay 1–6 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 10–11 days.
Very hot, humid summers and hurricane season June–November.
- Gray Catbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Louisiana plants that attract catbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Louisiana, these 8 provide food or cover catbirds use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding catbirds through the Louisiana year
Catbirds rarely eat seed but visit oriole jelly feeders and fruiting shrubs; dense thickets bring them in.
- Best foods: Grape jelly, Oranges, Mealworms, Fresh berries.
- In Louisiana's winter: Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds.
Frequently asked
Are catbirds in Louisiana year-round?
Yes. Gray Catbirds are year-round residents in Louisiana.
When do catbirds nest in Louisiana?
Nesting in Louisiana typically runs April–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract catbirds in Louisiana?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Louisiana that provide food or cover for catbirds.
Gray Catbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Louisiana
Sources
- Gray Catbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Gray Catbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Gray Catbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Louisiana
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.