Gray Catbirds in Pennsylvania
When catbirds are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
When to expect catbirds in Pennsylvania
Gray Catbirds are summer residents in Pennsylvania, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on ants, beetles and caterpillars.
Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, catbirds typically nest from May–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.
Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- Gray Catbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, black cherry, white oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Pennsylvania plants that attract catbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover catbirds use:
Winter fruit.
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Feeding catbirds through the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are catbirds in Pennsylvania year-round?
No. Gray Catbirds are summer breeders in Pennsylvania and leave for the winter.
When do catbirds nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania typically runs May–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract catbirds in Pennsylvania?
Winterberry, Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in Pennsylvania that provide food or cover for catbirds.
Gray Catbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
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 — Pennsylvania
- 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.