Diet
What do catbirds eat?
Insects in spring; fruit in summer and fall.
Mockingbirds and thrashers (Mimidae)Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensis
Spring and summer diet
- Ants, beetles and caterpillars
Fall and winter diet
- Winters along the Gulf and in Central America
Best feeder foods
- Grape jelly
- Oranges
- Mealworms
- Fresh berries
Catbirds rarely eat seed but visit oriole jelly feeders and fruiting shrubs; dense thickets bring them in.
Where catbirds need winter food
Frequently asked
What do catbirds eat?
Insects in spring; fruit in summer and fall.
What is the best food to feed catbirds?
Grape jelly, Oranges, Mealworms, Fresh berries.
What do catbirds eat in winter?
Winters along the Gulf and in Central America.
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
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.