Date: 7/9/26 7:06 am From: Daniel Getman <000003a484abda6a-dmarc-request...> Subject: Gray Catbirds feeding berries to young?
The other day, while watching birds eating Arrowwood Viburnum berries, I observed several Gray Catbirds gathering 2-3 berries in their beak, then flying away. The Catbirds are regularly coming and going to these bushes. I imagine they are feeding them to their nestlings, but can’t say for sure. If that’s true, I wonder what the mix of insects and berries being fed to their young.
In searching for their nutritional value, arrowwood viburnum berries are reported to be high in flavonoids and have a 41% fat content. Most reports talk about them as important later in the year to fuel migrating birds, but little about raising young. Based on what i’m seeing, these bushes will be stripped of their berries long before migration.
We appear to have a lot of catbirds in and around our yard, as I’ve seen 6 at one time.
In the past, I’ve observed a similar behavior with robins coming and going with serviceberries in early June, presumably feeding their young.
Photos of Gray Catbirds with multiple berries, can be viewed at: flickr.com/photos/dgetman/sets
Dan Getman, Kirksville, northeast MO
------------------------------------------------------------
The Missouri Birding Society's Wild Bird Discussion Forum
