Gray Catbirds in Ontario
When catbirds are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect catbirds in Ontario
Gray Catbirds are summer residents in Ontario, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on ants, beetles and caterpillars.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, catbirds typically nest from June–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.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Gray Catbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, sugar maple, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Ontario plants that attract catbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover catbirds use:
Fruit and cover.
Insects, seeds and cavities.
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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Feeding catbirds through the Ontario 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 Ontario's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are catbirds in Ontario year-round?
No. Gray Catbirds are summer breeders in Ontario and leave for the winter.
When do catbirds nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs June–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract catbirds in Ontario?
Red-osier dogwood, Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for catbirds.
Gray Catbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
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 — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.