Gray Catbird in June
Where catbirds are in June, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
June in the Gray Catbird's year
June is the height of the nesting season. Most resident and migrant species are raising young, migration is essentially over, and bird activity peaks at dawn. By late June the first fledglings of the year are everywhere — clumsy, loud, and constantly begging.
For the Gray Catbird specifically, June is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 55 states and provinces where catbirds occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where catbirds are in June
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In June, catbirds are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in June
June is inside the Gray Catbird nesting season. Nest: bulky cup deep in dense thickets or vines. Clutch 1–6 eggs, incubation 12–14 days, 1–2 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in June
- Ants, beetles and caterpillars
Catbirds rarely eat seed but visit oriole jelly feeders and fruiting shrubs; dense thickets bring them in.
Expect to see adults carrying food away rather than eating it — they're feeding nestlings. Fledglings visiting feeders with their parents are a June highlight.
Watching catbirds this month
In June, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region catbirds are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Gray Catbird month by month
Gray Catbird by state
Frequently asked
Where are catbirds in June?
In June, catbirds are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do catbirds nest in June?
Yes — June falls inside the Gray Catbird nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do catbirds eat in June?
Ants, beetles and caterpillars.
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.