Gnatcatchers of Zihuatanejo

FAMILY POLIOPTILIDAE

• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Chordates (Phylum Chordata

• Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

• Birds (Class Aves)

• Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)

• Gnatcatchers & Gnatwrens (Family Polioptilidae)​

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Family Polioptilidae comprises the gnatcatchers and gnatwrens, a small family of active insect-eating songbirds found exclusively in the Americas. The family contains about 20 species distributed from southern Canada through the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of South America. Members of Polioptilidae are generally small, slender birds with long tails, thin pointed bills, and soft plumage in shades of grey, blue-grey, black, and white. They are highly agile and constantly move through vegetation while searching for insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates.